Legends
by nivremous
Summary: COMPLETED! My Fourth Fanfic. Alternate History: The revelation of 700 years old tragedy of lost love. Love Hina set upon the early Japanese feudal era. Samurais, the struggle between the Shogunate Bakufu and the Imperial family, and the Mongol invasion
1. i

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**I**

_There is a myth that the power of the heart called love can move mountains; that it is stronger than the fiercest winds; and the harsh strength of nature can be summoned at its whim. This is a story of such love, of courage and of fellowship._

---

A young girl was trying her best not to cry. She held on to the boy's hand like her life depended on it. Her long white robe was swaying with the cool night breeze mixed with blustering heat of destruction. The noise of panicking people around her did not bother her only the beating of her heart. Red flames around her were engulfing everything on its path like an unstoppable wave.

The castle has fallen.

"Promise me…" the little girl started, pleading with her eyes, searching for an answer only he could provide, "Promise me that you'll come for me…"

A boy, no older than five, stood silent before her, looking at her with grimness unnatural for his tender age. He stood there the way his ancestors had stood in times of great crisis; calm and brave. But deep within him he felt at a lost for everything he knew was burning right in front of him.

"Promise me that you'll look for me…" the little girl drew closer, her voice clear and soothing, "Promise me…"

Sounds of trampling hooves. Their enemies were closing in. They have to move quickly.

The boy tightened his hold. He nodded at the girl with purpose and whispered, "I promise you… I will take everything back… everything that we have lost… and I will find you,"

Suddenly, the little girl was grabbed by a woman with similar clothing and carried her to a waiting carriage behind the cluster of trees. She never left her gaze on the boy as the carriage hurried deep into the forest guided only by a hidden road away from chaos and devastation.

"We shall meet again…" the boy nodded for the last time as he watched her disappear in the dark.

Then he turned around and drew his short sword. He faced the enemy with odd ferocity. He has now resigned his life to Buddha. Whatever happens tonight, he would die with honour. The last of his kind would never bow down even in front of imminent defeat.

The cavalry appeared from the flames like demons. Their horses breathing with ferocious fire like dragons in heat. The riders' heavy armours, a mixture of metal and wood, glistened in the dark. Their faces, covered with painted masks, a picture of odd raging emotions screamed with utter violence to dishearten or scare their prey. But this particular prey, a boy, could not easily be shaken.

Then the head of the raiding party approached the lone warrior. The boy's bravery has caught his attention. Such attitude and fire at a very young age were rare even in this peaceful reign of the Kamakura bakufu. He made a decision.

The leader spoke with powerful authority, "I want him alive…"

Then the boy screamed and charged.

---

15 years later

Japan, the land of the Gods was in great peril.

There was a disturbing rumour that spread through out the whole of Asia from their neighbouring land, China. A barbarian host of thousands of men were amassing at the smaller islands of Korea. Hundreds of ships were being constructed and massive conscripts of advanced artillery were being collected. And the most alarming affirmation of such outlandish and yet unsettling reports were the arrival of two envoys claiming to bear an important message to the Japanese authorities from the emperor of the barbaric horde, the Mongolian empire.

Japan was under a threat of a great naval invasion.

Tsuruko Aoyoma hissed with disdain. The stupidity of her own countrymen has once again both amazed and infuriated her. _Fools, _she thought, as the news of cruel fate the two envoys from China received from the shogun of the Kamakura bakufu, spread like wildfire all over the village. _When will they ever learn? We can achieve more with peaceful diplomacy than brutal expression of arrogance!_

She turned towards the window and watched the empty stretch of the China Sea.

The ancient and honourable line of Aoyoma clan has guarded the harbour that faces China and Korean Peninsula for hundred of years. The clan, mostly consisted of women, has met years of neighbouring clans' attempts at overtaking the much coveted land and severe scrutiny by higher shogunate officials who openly badger the villagers that it was very unwise to let a group of weak women govern them. The Aoyomas have repulsed countless invasions coming from inland than what the open sea has ever given them since the establishment of their village.

But such leadership and confident control did not go unnoticed. The Royal family of Japan has taken to the Aoyoma's cause. And indeed, the Aoyoma clan has been given proper protection and distinction in the Japanese society after years of scorn.

And apart from bravery, strength and control; the Aoyomas carried a secret sword arts that proved to be an effective weapon against any form of swordsmanship, a power that has kept the villagers and neighbouring clans at awe and at bay.

_We don't have much time, _Tsuruko shook her head, _we are simply not prepared for this… we need help._

A knock on the door.

Then a younger woman appeared behind Tsuruko.

Tsuruko turned and studied her younger sister bowed before her, Motoko Aoyoma. Tsuruko smiled as she noticed that Motoko's hair has grown longer, almost at her waist. She felt proud to see Motoko's calm and disciplined demeanour, a mark of their blood. The mark of Aoyoma.

"You called for me, sister…" Motoko started, her head still low.

Tsuruko began to pace before her.

"These are grave times Motoko-chan…" Tsuruko spoke with a detached tone, "indeed… we are going into a darker period of this futile era…"

A cold wind breezed through.

"The emperor has been subdued on a virtual prison, the shogunate shows weak leadership and warlords are at each others throats expanding their territories… and now… Japan is under a threat of a foreign invasion…" Tsuruko sighed, "I wonder… will we last at all? We don't stand a chance…"

A pause.

Tsuruko finally turned towards Motoko, "Rise my dear sister… for I have a very important mission for you…"

Motoko rose with indifference and stared Tsuruko with confidence.

"I want you to deliver a message to the emperor," Tsuruko produced a scroll from beneath the folds of her kimono, "I want you to give this message to no one else but his highness. You will be travelling in secrecy… I will give you ten men as your retinues. And as a proof of the message's urgency, I also give you charge of a visitor from a far away realm…" Tsuruko raised her hand and a cloaked figure stepped next to her.

The cloak unveiled itself and revealed a young girl with bright yellowish hair. Her face showed eternally blushing cheeks complemented with big round green eyes which seemed to be quick to smile and her skin was of silky and smooth brown complexion.

"Motoko-chan… I'd like you to meet… Kaolla Su of the Molmol kingdom,"

---

Motoko Aoyoma sighed.

The sun was setting and the beautiful landscape before her sat into a melancholic conclusion of the day. There were birds of different species that Motoko has not seen before flying over them as their small group appeared from the forest trees following an open path that leads to the main road. Their long journey has just begun.

Motoko settled herself more comfortably on her horse as she pondered the last parting words her elder sister gave her that morning.

"You will be confronted with great danger… so be careful who you meet along the way…" Tsuruko has told her earlier, "As you know, our clan is rather infamous, especially now that we have the imperial family's favour. Our neighbours will surely make it hard for you to accomplish such seemingly simple task…"

Motoko was quick to show her temper, "those animals will feel my wrath if they ever show even a shadow of their feet…"

Tsuruko held Motoko's hand, "I know you will do your best to fulfil your duty my dear sister… and I envy you so much… for in this journey I'm sure you will learn so much and it will enlighten your training furthermore,"

"What do you mean sister…? I have diligently accomplished everything the ancient scrolls could give…"

"I know… you are undoubtedly the most skilled of all of us… but you have to understand… the way of the Aoyoma samurai does not completely rely on the way of the sword… but one that is much more powerful than any… one power that all other samurais failed to accomplish… it is the way of the heart,"

Motoko almost burned with embarrassment and stamped her hand on the tatami floor full of indignation, "I don't need such pursuits sister! I am a warrior! I am a swordswoman! I don't care what others might think but I will follow what other samurai has… that is the perfection of self-discipline and the way of the sword…" she gripped her sword hard, "this is all I need… my sword… and glory!"

Tsuruko had smiled thinking of Motoko's naivety. She just hoped she survive long enough to see her sister's happiness complete. To be a swordswoman in this era was definitely the most tasking of all. It would be easier to die honourably than face a fate that could result to an imaginable pain.

Motoko drifted back and glanced behind her to give her small party a quick inspection.

Her retinues were of men handpicked personally by Tsuruko. They were chosen because of their loyalty to the clan and skills with the sword. They were formed five by five on each side and in the middle was the foreigner from the Molmol kingdom. Kaolla Su gave Motoko a beaming smile.

Motoko looked sternly back as if to say she does not approve of such blatant expressions. She faced forward again, on the lead and sighed, controlling her deep disappointment that this would be nothing more than an eventless quick journey back and forth.

She could not have been more wrong.

---

"BY KAMI I'M SOOOO HUNGRY!"

A young man jumped with joy as he fished his frog from an open fire. He has a brownish hair matching his eyes that constantly gives anybody he meets a clueless appearance. A ragged sort of clothing ripped from old rags wrapped around his body, an extra layer has been bundled on his arms, elbow to wrist, and legs, from knee to ankle. And from a quick look he could be passed as a beggar on the streets.

The young man ate with utter bliss. His pack, rolled on the same old rags that covered his few belongings he deemed precious, was on his side. He shivered and edged closer to the fire as his surrounding darkened, the sun finally settled behind the mountains, and the night breeze started to blow.

_It is by mere chance of luck that I stumbled on those marshes… I didn't have food with me. And I'm poorer than a beggar for I don't have any money at all… Kami's good fortune must be pleased with me today._

Then he heard it.

A rushing sound coming from what he estimated as a few miles away. He had quickly calculated the distance and he felt assured that it was of no threat to his own safety. Then another set of noise followed, screams and unmistakable sound of metals; a sword fight of some scale.

The young man chose to ignore it and so he continued eating his blessedly given food.

After a moment he heard a woman scream.

Then the young man rushed into the trees.

Towards the noise.

---

It was an ambush.

Motoko deflected a sword that suddenly came swaying her way. They were outnumbered and outmanoeuvred. Too many enemies were rushing into the foray as Motoko's retinue repulsed the rush and closed themselves into a tight protective screen, putting Su in the middle.

The ambushers regrouped, quickly scattered and surrounded their target.

Motoko cursed under her breath for being so careless, _how can I be so stupid? Of course! We're on enemy territory… but how did they know our exact travel path._ Then she raised her sword to unleash one of the secret sword arts only to be stopped as one of the ambushers came charging on her blind spot.

She swayed her sword around and deflected the sword slash.

The scream of the ambushers tore through the night as they charged down, their swords high in the air for the strike.

Then sounds of metal against metal quickly followed as two different sides attacked and defended.

Motoko turned around and found her retinues felled one after another as the ambushers bore them down on every direction. She swung her sword to the right and blocked a slash aimed at her neck by a hairline and pushed the attacker away.

_This is useless! They're too many and too quick! I can't use my secret arts because they kept on attacking me without pause and room to manoeuvre, _Motoko shook her head in desperation as she evaded two swords cutting her way simultaneously and rolled onto the dusty ground, _they know the secret arts! Or atleast they know how to stop me from using it! Cowards! They are all cowards!_

One of the ambushers screamed.

Motoko looked up and found the foreigner holding a short blade and watched her deftly dodge the swords like some sort of an eerie dance. The foreigner, as young as she was, managed to down three attackers in quick successive motions.

_By Kami… she can fight!_ Then Motoko found herself rolling backwards as she felt something hard hit her jaw. She came crashing down on the bush.

Another scream as the rush went on.

Motoko groggily shook her head trying to focus her senses. Her strength was fading and she could not hold herself upright. She was loosing. The pain in her sword arm was becoming unbearable. She could not hold her sword any longer. _I can't! I can't die right now! Why now? Why now!_

Then a figure loomed before her. The gleam of the sword blade shone in the dark.

_I'm sorry sister… I'm so sorry…_ _I have failed… _Motoko closed her eyes and prepared herself for the inevitable.

The sword hissed as it came slashing down.

Then another scream filled the air. One filled with pure pain like an injured child.

"WAAAAAAAA!!!! THAT HURTS YOU BASTARD!"

_Huh?_ Motoko opened her eyes and found… somebody with its arms outstretched and blood pouring down from it. She could not make out the scene but she deduced that… this… somebody blocked the sword using its outstretched arms. _Odd? That's very odd… why would you block a sword with your bare arms?_

Then the image blurred followed with more ridiculous profanities.

"TAKE THAT! AND THAT! AND YOU WANT SOME MORE? HERE YOU GO! TAKE THAT! AND THAT!"

Scuffling sounds either men were rushing forward or running away.

"HEY! WHERE YOU GOING? I'M NOT DONE YET! TAKE THAT!"

Motoko could not take any more of it as her consciousness started to fade. But before the last of her strength gave out she saw a shadow rose before her. Then a face peered close to her eyes.

It was a man. A young man. His hair was of brownish colour spiked in different directions and his eyes were of the same hue. There was a very disturbing smile on his face that made Motoko wonder about the stranger's sanity.

"Okay… that'll be a few coins… wouldn't you agree?"

Motoko could not make out what the young man was asking but then she managed to croak a whisper, "Who… are… you?"

The young man smiled again and this time Motoko was truly afraid for his condition, "Keitaro… Keitaro at your service ma'am!"

Then Motoko fainted.

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! It's me again! So what do you think? Quite weird isn't it? To tell you the truth I've always wanted to write something like this for quite awhile now. And I'm not sure if anybody has done this before. And for some of the historical stuffs… well… don't bother with it. This will just be another romantic adventure stuffs aimed to confuse you. Well… anybody who has read any of my fiction should know that… I like to keep on surprising my readers.

Anyways, I hope you stick long enough… I'd appreciate it greatly if you tell me what you think on the reviews… atleast I would know how to – jump on you.

Thanks again! Cheers!

nivremous


	2. ii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**II**

---

A tingling pleasurable sensation.

Motoko awoke with the warmth of the morning sun soothing her aching body. She remained where she was relishing the tranquillity of her surroundings; the beautiful sounds of birds and swaying trees. She stared above and watched the clear blue skies.

And then she felt another uncomfortable yet pleasurable sensation course through her.

Curious as to what could make her feel this way; Motoko slowly moved her head, then glanced down and found… a hand.

A hand clasped firmly on her right breast.

For a moment Motoko did not move but stared at the hand.

"So soft… hmmm… so warm,"

Motoko flashed to the right and found the owner of the voice and the offending hand. A young man was sound asleep. He has that wide smile on his face, a content look, murmuring happily in his deep reverie.

Then he squeezed again.

Another tingling sensation.

A pause.

Then a scream, "AAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Flocks of birds suddenly flew in different direction as if a wild animal has been injured. A series of crash could be heard from the forest and the ground seemed to shake with fury. The trees swayed and a few has been uprooted from the ground. The forest was bathed in a thick could of dust.

---

The young man found himself in a knot, crumpled under an uprooted tree. His grogginess could not make out the scene and the only explanation he could find was that a mighty typhoon must have passed through the forest while he was asleep, although he doubts that a typhoon could be this strong – or maybe this angry.

He looked up and found two red eyes from the clouds of dirt approaching him with a disturbing slowness.

A moment later he came face to face with death.

"YOU LECHEROUS FILTHY ANIMAL!" A woman with a long silky hair and a beautiful face contorted with pure rage holding a long samurai sword with a clear murderous intention.

The young man shook with absolute fear. _By Kami! It's a demon!_

"DIE YOU PERVERTED EXCUSE OF HUMAN EXCREMENT!" The woman raised her sword to deliver a final blow that would bring this – animal – into the next world in tiny little pieces. _Nobody defiles Motoko Aoyoma of the honourable sacred line of the Aoyoma Clan!_

"WAAAAH!" The young man cried and raised his arms. _I'm going to die without seeing a Jade Gate in my sorry twenty years life!_

---

Motoko stopped.

She managed to control her raging fury in the last second as the sword came slashing down on the offending creature. What stopped her was a wound. The bundle of rags that covered the elbow to the wrist on the right arm of the young man was covered with drying blood.

A pause.

The ocean wind from the west breezed through.

Motoko froze with her sword a few inches from the man's neck. She was breathing hard.

_It's him… from last night..._

Then slowly she sheathed her sword without taking her eyes away from her quarry. She watched in disgust as the young man went into a shaking fit, his arms over his head, his legs folded into his chest, crying all the while. She stood before a sorry man that does not warrant even an ounce of her energy.

_How can this coward be the one who came to our aid?_

Motoko frowned with deeper disappointment when the young man started to wail.

_But there is no denying it… that wound in his arm is sword inflicted… the very arm that saved me from an imminent death…_

Motoko shook her head, _Kami must be playing with my soul today… to be rescued by --- him --- is crueller than dying in the hands of another warrior… no matter… this – thing - will not utter such tale to anybody… I'll make sure of that! And besides… who would believe him?_

"Be thankful… my sword does not relish killing a worthless being like you… you may live… for now…" Motoko turned ferocious, "But… if you ever mention to anybody about me or any events that pertains to me…" A sword metal suddenly gleamed in the brightness of the morning then quickly disappeared, "I… will… kill… you!"

A pause.

The young man stopped crying and carefully looked up behind his rags covered arms; he whispered, "I… I won't… I won't tell a soul…"

Motoko nodded with satisfaction, avoiding the young man's eyes, for the Aoyoma samurai creed dictates her not to look at any man's eyes unless another warrior. She turned but paused when she heard the young man continue.

"But… I… I'm sorry… I… if you could please consider…" the young man knelt and bowed, his head on the ground, "I would like to be paid for my services last night…"

Motoko did not move but controlled her rising rage again, _THE NERVE!_

The young man scampered backward but kept his head on the ground knowing well in himself that he would surely die, "You see… I haven't eaten anything decent for the last four days… and… and so I just ask for a few coins… if… if that's alright… you won't see me again… I mean… it's just that…"

"SILENCE!"

The young man shook.

Motoko remained where she was.

"What are you? Are you a merchant? Are you a warrior? A ronin?"

"No… no… I'm not… I'm just a wanderer… I do not fight… I just go around town working and…"

"Then you're a slave… a masterless slave… therefore you have been paid with your worthless life…"

Motoko walked away without turning. Her pride has been rejuvenated and the samurai creed that all warriors follow has not been tainted. She felt a little proud for handling such matters like a true samurai. _Sister would've done the same thing..._

But then after a few steps, she stopped and turned around.

To her great surprise and dismay she found the foreigner from the Molmol kingdom sitting next to the wary young man. Kaolla was handing him a roll of bread that she took from her pack that was slung behind her.

"Here you go…" Kaolla offered with a smile.

"Uhm… thank you so much… my lady…" the young man bowed, "I'm so sorry to be of trouble to you…"

"Nonsense! You were great last night! You managed to take out fifteen men! And here… I have a few coins that Tsuruko-san gave me yesterday… you can have them…"

The young man tearfully accepted the coins, smiled even wider and bowed profusely, "Thank you… thank you…"

"I'm the one who should be thanking you… we're in a tight spot back there…"

"KAOLLA SU… I forbid you from speaking to that… thing!" Motoko approached the two menacingly, her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Alright! I'm coming…" Kaolla shouted back with boredom then faced the young man again, "What's your name?"

The young man was too busy gathering his things and keeping an eye on the woman with the sword when he replied hastily, "Sorry… my name's Keitaro…"

"Keitaro… do you have a last name?"

"I don't have one…"

And with that Keitaro jumped out of the way as Motoko drew her sword for the slash. Kaolla stood with her hand raised and watched Keitaro run and disappear behind the trees, deeper into the forest.

The two stood for moment, Motoko with her sword out of its sheath and Kaolla with her right hand waving a farewell to a vanishing silhouette.

A sigh.

Motoko sheathed her sword then observed the younger female beside her, _this young girl could fight… she doesn't look like it but she can handle herself quite well in the midst of battle._ "Kaolla Su," walking away she said, "For your own safety… I advise you to follow everything that I say. Our land is fraught with danger…"

"I like him…"

"Huh?"

"That young man… he doesn't know it but there is something… inside him..."

"You're young… you don't know what you're talking about,"

Kaolla followed Motoko and smiled, "Maybe so… but my big brother always tells me that I am a good judge of character than everybody else!"

Motoko grunted, "Is that so? We must continue our journey…" _What are we to do now? My retinues annihilated… but the mission… no… I can always send a message to sister and ask for assistance if the need arises. We have to push on, _"there is a small village ahead of us… we should reach it at noon…"

"I hope we'll see him again…" Kaolla looked back.

"I don't think so… he's a coward and a slave… I think we have seen the last of him,"

And they were wrong.

---

It was past noon when Keitaro finally reached the village.

He wiped his brow with his left arm and walked towards the nearest restaurant. All he could think of that time was something to drink. And he wouldn't mind where it came from as long as it's good enough to drink.

He sat on a wooden bench outside a crowded restaurant and stretched his aching legs. A servant eyed him suspiciously.

"What do you want?" the servant asked.

Keitaro ran a hand through his dry brown hair and said, "I… I just need something to drink if you don't mind?"

"Do you have any money?"

Reaching inside his clothes, Keitaro produced the coins Kaolla has given him, "I've got a few coins… and I might need something to eat too…"

The servant eyed him from head to toe then spat, "We don't need your money slave… get out of here before I call the village guards…"

Keitaro sighed. Almost in frustration, _by Kami… this is really getting tiresome… I mean… I just need something to eat… it's not like I'm going to make a scandal or something… sigh… might as well look for another restaurant… this one's looks like just a fancy stop for the high and mighty._

Then he saw it.

A few miles away he saw a band of samurai walking briskly towards the small village. Their colourful banners high in the air waving along with the strong afternoon wind. This party was led by a fat warrior who seemed to be too heavy a burden for his poor horse. His head was backed with intricate designs of his position that shows how important he was with the Kamakura shogunate army, his swords shining with precious metals embedded on its sheath and hilt. And trailing along his weighty figure was a carriage that resembled a trap used for hunting bears of the northern mountains, with wooden wheels on its side pulled by big black horses.

Inside the appalling carriage were two veiled women.

Keitaro quickly walked out of the way for the scouting samurais of the party started brandishing their swords and pushing unknowing passersby away, shouting all the while the approach of an important man.

The women inside the carriage were covered with expensive clothing. The dress shows the imperial designs and emblems. They sat although uncomfortably on a makeshift stool with defiance and the familiar arrogance of the royal family.

---

"Wow… look at that… is this some sort of a parade?" Kaolla whistled happily as she watched the scene unfolding before her.

The band of samurais was passing the restaurant where Motoko and Kaolla were currently having a quiet afternoon repast. The people outside were shoved rather rudely out of the way as they came trudging along the dirt road outside. Unlike Kaolla's happy and innocent expression, Motoko stared with cold anger.

_Fools… such acts of pure barbarism… showing off their prize like that._

"What's going on Motoko-chan?"

"The shogunate army has somehow captured two of the royal family's relatives… and by the looks of it I think they are planning to take them to Kamakura," Motoko explained.

"Captured? What do you mean captured?"

"The shogunate and the imperial family are still at a war with each other over the control of this land. As a result… the shogunate army has been given the orders to capture or should we say to 'protect' any person linked to the imperial family… or so they say… the truth is… the shogun is holding every relatives of the imperial family under his domain as a hostage in case an 'event' arises…"

Motoko shook her head as she knew full well that the imperial family still has the loyalty of a few daimyo or warlords from northern and far south villages. It's only a matter of time when one of these warlords would step forward and start a civil war. Even though the emperor was deemed powerless because of the Kamakura bakufu stronghold, he could still amass sympathy enough to raise an army… thus such 'event' would definitely arise.

Motoko sighed.

_And we're also under a threat of an invasion… big sister's right… we don't stand a chance at all._

"What's that?" Kaolla pointed.

"Huh?"

Motoko looked up and found Kaolla running towards the edge of the streets where the last of the samurais have passed and the band has finally disappeared into the next hill. She stooped for a moment and then stood with a white cloth on her hands.

"Weird… there's some writing in it that I don't understand…" Kaolla returned happily, handing the white cloth to Motoko.

Motoko looked sternly at Kaolla about to scold her about proper womanly manners when she stopped and read what was written on the cloth. She hissed and reread it again.

The cloth was of a fine silk common only at the courts of the imperial family. And in it were these words written with blood:

_Narusegawa and Konno families_

_A reward to those who would come to our aid.___

Motoko looked up and ran towards the streets. She scanned the last of the dirt and made a quick survey as to where the band would be passing. Kaolla came jumping after her.

"What's going on Motoko-chan?"

Motoko was silent for a moment.

"We have to do something…"

"Why?"

"Because inside that carriage are the two closest relatives of the royal family… Narusegawa and Konno families… almost a direct line of the emperor… they have to be rescued…"

---

Keitaro was sitting quietly on the hill as he observed the task before him.

He doesn't know why he has to do it but he couldn't sit idle by and do nothing. He scanned the band and swore under his breath. There were atleast twenty-seven samurais equipped with long and sword shorts, armoured with thick metal, hide and wood. Fifteen were on the ground while the rest were riding horses. The foot soldiers would be easy, the only concern he has were the ones on the horses.

Keitaro searched for officers or leaders among the lines and after marking them he prepared himself.

---

Motoko hid beside the trees and behind her was Kaolla.

Motoko knew that they don't stand a chance against such numbers so she had decided to follow them and keep them on her eyesight and when nightfall comes she would attack. As long as the samurais were grouped tightly together she might have a chance of breaking through.

Motoko smiled and felt the anticipation of battle. She gripped her sword tightly.

_You will all feel my wrath!_

---

Keitaro looped his arrow bag on his neck and stretched the long bow to the full. He measured the strength and counted his arrows, making sure he has enough. He sighed almost in desperation but he put his worry aside and prepared to attack.

_By Kami! I've only got a few arrows… I have to make sure that all shots are counted!_

The weapons he had taken from dead samurais he fought last night were good enough for him. There were swords but he didn't have much skill with the sword so he chose the best he could use at the time. Well… that was before he was viciously attacked by a certain sword toting woman!

_Eeeee! I don't know what got into that devil of a woman but atleast I manage to salvage some useful weapons before running away! And I thought I'd be paid! I never thought I'd have to deal with life and death with her! If not for that kind little girl… I would have been dead!_

Keitaro shivered again as he remembered the woman's cold red eyes.

_I hope I'll never see that swordswoman again!_

---

Motoko sneezed.

She looked up and found the glare of the sun unbearable. She levelled her eyesight and watched the slow progress of the band. Only a few moments have passed and already she felt her patience growing thin.

_Come on you bastard sun! Get down now and give me night cover!_

But her boiling temper was cut short when she saw a figure stood on a hill directly above the party. Then she gasped with surprise when that figure ran downhill towards the procession of samurais.

_What in the world are you thinking?_ _YOU IDIOT GET BACK THERE! YOU WON'T STAND A CHANCE!_

Motoko shook her head in anger but all the while she could not hide her astonishment at the stranger's display of madness and bravery. She drew her long sword, sighed, and screamed, "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

She ran towards the party which was a few paces away, her eyes locked onto the lone figure on the opposite side.

It was the young man this morning.

He drew his bow and started shooting.

* * *

Hi there guys and gals! Sorry for the delay! About this chapter, I hope that no one's upset but this is how the samurais of the thirteenth century acted or how they were trained to act. You should understand that these were the days of the samurais, shoguns and imperial conflicts of Japan where caste system was strongly held among the Japanese society which is why this makes it more interesting.

I was really surprised that somebody's actually reading this kind of stuffs. I appreciate those who have written a review and thank you Dragon Flames for your kind words. I hope I don't disappoint all of you on to the coming chapters.

Anyway… just let me know what you think! Cheers!

nivremous


	3. iii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**III**

---

Mitsune Konno of the infamous Konno clan has been on a better predicament than where she was now.

The Konno clan has been recognized by both the Japanese imperial family and the shogunate as the best producer of well-trained and well-disciplined samurais. Most of the ancient samurai generals have originated from the clan. Several notable victorious battles have been fought by the Konno samurais who have aided several warring warlords and chiefs. A self-indicted imperialist, the Konnos has been the main exponent for the re-establishment of the imperial governance against the Kamakura bakufu political stronghold.

But unlike the men of the clan who has been trained from childhood to fight glorious battles and earn fame, the women were blatantly used as pawns to gain familial connections with other clans and imperial authorities, which would grant them closer links within the army and the royal family.

Such was the consequences of Mitsune Konno's problems that led her to be captured and detained in a bear-trap carriage that would inevitably take her to Kamakura and be presented to the shogun 'in good grace as her sole protector'.

_Do we have a better word for a hostage taker? _Mitsune mused.

A few weeks ago, against Mitsune's extreme protests, she was arranged to marry a promising warlord of a village far south. She deliberately cut her hair short to look undesirable to her future husband whom she hasn't even met. Her actions have infuriated several of the elders, which has become her only salvation for the men refused to even look at her at such open display of disgrace. She was imprisoned on her own house to await the judgement of the Konno elders.

Apparently, her lively and spirited behaviour was very uncommon for their view of a well-bred Japanese woman, and the elders feared that they may never find a suitable husband for such scandalous lady. So they have decided to honourably present her to the monastery; she was sentenced to become a monk.

And so Mitsune Konno escaped her captors to be captured by another.

Mitsune sighed.

_What is it with this people? I just wanted to be free… is that a sin? I am loyal to my clan… but… what is loyalty?_

She stood and lifted her veil for a moment, soliciting a sigh behind her. She turned and watched her younger fellow captive.

"You know that our long standing tradition is to keep our face hidden from our enemies or strangers alike… it would deem you impure to do such a thing…" the younger woman spoke tersely.

Mitsune smiled in retort, "But what are we? Aren't we nothing more than just prisoners awaiting a much crueller fate… and besides… my life hasn't improved anyway…"

The younger woman bowed and whispered behind her veil, "Atleast… we'll face that fate with honour… as everything else that we are facing…"

_What is honour? What can honour do to us now?_ Mitsune bowed and covered her face again.

As she turned towards her seat, she saw it.

It was a lone figure.

At first she couldn't clearly see because of the harsh glare of the afternoon sun. She thought it was nothing more than an illusion as the carriage swayed side to side and the procession went on silently.

The figure stood only for a moment, then ran downhill towards the carriage.

Mitsune whispered to her companion wide eyed, "Naru!"

The younger woman ignored her.

Then came several hissing sound as one by one the guards started falling onto the ground like flies.

_Yes! A rescuer! _Mitsune could not hide her excitement as she stood and frantically searched the empty hill, _how many are they? Who are they? Which clan?_

The lone figure was still trudging towards the carriage, shooting with his bow with uncanny speed. Letting go arrows and finding its target almost too quickly as the samurais realised too late that they were under attack. Half of their strength has been disseminated into the ground before anyone noticed the crumpling and hissing sound around them. It was like they were being attacked by tens of samurai bowmen.

A samurai shouted an alarm then he dropped to the ground with an arrow on his throat.

---

_By Kami! That was incredible! He managed to get almost half of them in matters of seconds! What in Kami's name is he?_

Motoko rushed into the battle from the other side as few surviving horsemen faced the hill to counter attack the threat. They were baffled to find a lone man running towards them shooting with a bow. A call has been heard, greeted with several shouts and they prepared to trample their lone quarry.

_Now this is where I'm good at! No one stands in my way!_ Motoko smiled with anticipation as she raised her sword unseen by the rallying horsemen.

"**AIR-SPLITTING SWORD!"******

**---**

_What in the…? _Keitaro drew his short blade and was completely astonished to see a number of horsemen, horses and riders alike, blasted high into the air after a huge explosion shook the ground, covering the surrounding in clouds of thick dust.

Keitaro used this chance to quickly cover the distance and slash his way through any survivors.

---

"Incredible!" Mitsune shouted happily as she watched a samurai after flying high into the air dropped sickeningly on the ground.

"How many are they?" the younger woman was standing beside Mitsune now looking through the dust, "I didn't know Japanese samurais are already using gunpowder? But I can't smell any telltale signs?"

"Gunpowder?"

"The explosion… it could only be made by a mixture of gunpowder… like a bomb… but what else could it be?"

"I don't know what you're talking about… what is a 'bomb'?"

The two stood silent for a moment when a figure came running on their side dispatching two samurais with ease. The women tensed and observed their unknowing rescuer. He turned and met their inquisitive eyes.

Mitsune at that moment felt something inside her. She couldn't help but stare deep into his brown eyes, losing herself within. It was something she hasn't felt with all the warriors she has met before. She felt comfort on those eyes, some unrecognisable warmth. She felt a sudden unwarranted embarrassment to be seen like this. She blushed uncontrollably and in her mind she was thankful for the hazy clouds around them.

The figure bowed slightly then disappeared into the dust.

Silence.

---

Motoko slew the remaining horsemen who managed to escape the devastating attack of her secret arts. She has taken them completely by surprise as she handpicked them one by one as they routed in chaos unable to assess the situation. In their minds they were being attacked by a force greater in number and armaments.

Then soon after, the dust settled and everything went quiet.

It was over.

Motoko knelt on the edge of the road and examined what was left of their enemies.

_By Kami…__ I'm alive! I can't believe we managed to pull this through… how many are they? Twenty? Thirty? I didn't count… there's no time to count! And we did it on broad day light too! Kami's good fortune is definitely on our side today!_

"Motoko-chan! Are you alright?" Kaolla came running on her side.

Motoko controlled her breathing and spoke with indifference, "I'm alright…"

"You were great Motoko-chan! Absolutely great!" Kaolla jumped happily as she too surveyed a number of samurais lying lifeless on the ground. And then she noticed a figure kneeling before a dying samurai at the head of the party. She exclaimed, "It's him!" then ran towards the young man.

Motoko glanced towards the figure. _Who are you? Twice you have come to our aid… and this time… I have seen your skills with my own eyes. And yet… you're not a samurai… not a warrior… not affiliated with any clan… then… what are you?_

"Excuse me…"

Motoko looked towards the source of the voice and found the women inside the carriage unharmed. _That's odd… in this melee… it's almost a miracle they are alive… their captors should have killed them when they could… but somehow… they were unharmed… they must have been protected… _Motoko once again glanced on the young man; _he must have protected them during the battle… very odd._

Motoko stood and approached the carriage.

She bowed then cut the strains that bound the carriage doors. Then she quickly knelt on the floor.

"Motoko Aoyoma of the Aoyoma clan your highness," Motoko shouted with pride.

The carriage door flung open and the captives walked slowly outside looking around with apprehension. They couldn't believe that they're free.

The younger woman stood before Motoko's kneeling form and regarded her imperiously, "You're a woman…"

Motoko bowed lower and shouted, "A swordswoman of the Aoyoma clan your highness!"

Silence.

"I see… yes… I've heard of your clan… you have been highly regarded by the emperor himself,"

Motoko felt enormous pride. But she kept her face passive, devoid of emotion. Such was the way of the samurai.

"My name is Naru Narusegawa of the imperial Narusegawa clan…" the younger woman announced, "and beside me is Mitsune Konno of the Konno clan,"

Motoko almost flinched. The Konnos were fierce warriors who were terribly possessive with everything they own, including women. It might take a few days of proper planning on how to return such precious woman on the hands of a very volatile clan. Although she could not hide her happiness that she has aided a Narusegawa. The Narusegawa clan were imperial advisors who have their blood mixed with the ancient lines of the emperor. It was very fortunate day indeed for a lone Aoyoma swordswoman.

Silence.

The hot afternoon wind blowing around them.

Motoko looked up and found both women watching the young man who at that moment started picking arrows from the ground with a very happy Molmol foreigner hanging on his neck talking wildly all the while. The young man doesn't seem to mind as he nods along the way with his eyes closed and a smile on his face.

"Who is he?" Mitsune finally asked after a while.

A sigh.

"A slave Konno-san…" Motoko replied coldly.

"Please… call me Mitsune… a slave you say huh… are you sure?"

"I am certain. We crossed paths this morning. And he informed us before leaving that he is neither a warrior nor a merchant, he is masterless… then he is…"

"A slave…" Naru finished.

"Yes… your highness… he even asked for coins…"

Mitsune was surprised at that, "Did he really? He asked for coins?"

"A penniless slave… a beggar maybe?" Naru continued.

---

Keitaro stood and wiped his sweaty brow with his right sleeves glad that the Molmol foreigner jumped off from his aching shoulders and started helping him pick up some usable arrows from the ground. He also gave a silent prayer for those who have died in the battle knowing that their fate has already been decided the moment he stretched his bow strings.

_Your death will not go unnoticed. You all fought bravely…_

"Hei Keitaro! Here's some more arrows!" Kaolla smiled wanly with a bundle of arrows on her hand.

Keitaro smiled and opened his arrow bag, "Thanks Su! Drop it in here…"

"What's your name?"

"Huh?" Keitaro turned and found one of the captured women standing next to him. He quickly knelt on the floor.

"I'm… my name's Keitaro…" Keitaro replied hastily knowing full well the arrogance that came with privilege and this woman seems to have lived her life at such.

A pause.

Silence.

Then a clatter of metal.

Looking up, Keitaro found a number of coins glistening before him on the ground.

"My name is Mitsune Konno of the Konno clan…"

_Konno! Eeeee! Now I'm really dead! The Konno clan will skin me alive if they ever found me close to any of their women! And even though they are very fetching women… I would rather stay away from her… no amount of explanation would ever save me being this close to her._

Keitaro shuffled back with his head on the ground wanting to keep some sort of distance between him and the Konno woman. He shook with fear, glancing around once in a while making sure that there were no samurais especially Konno samurais.

"What are you doing? I have graciously given you a payment and you…"

"I'm sorry my lady… but I did not ask for a payment," Keitaro politely said.

"What are you saying?"

Keitaro sighed, _it's not her fault… the swordswoman must have told her something._

"Why did you help us… slave?"

Silence.

A pause.

Keitaro looked up and stared directly into Mitsune's eyes, "Because I have to do it,"

A shadow of irritation passed through Mitsune's face. A battle of pride and compassion waged inside her head as she tried to understand the young man's curious reactions. _Then why?__ Why do you have to do it? Don't you want to get paid? You risked your life for us and yet you don't want something in return… what are you?_

Keitaro noticing Mitsune's conflict written on her face sighed and whispered with urgency, "My lady… please listen to me… we don't have much time… in a few moments the alarm that you have escaped the shogunate's samurais will be recognised… I suggest that we move out of this road as soon as possible…"

Mitsune showed her annoyance ignoring Keitaro's plea, "Why aren't you accepting my payment? Are you saying that my money's not good enough for you? Is that it slave?"

Keitaro stood, glanced towards the swordswoman and shouted, "I'm sorry my ladies… but I suggest we move out of this road quickly… a few horsemen managed to escape and by now they must have reached the closest village… they will return in greater number!"

Motoko flashed in anger, "WHO ARE YOU TO ORDER ME SLAVE?"

_No use…_ _we have been standing on this road for more than we should have… the horsemen must be on their way back and with them are more samurais… better equipped samurais! _Keitaro grabbed Mitsune's hand and literally dragged her towards the hill, shouting beside him, "MISS SU… LET'S GO!"

The Molmol foreigner quickly stood and ran towards Keitaro without another word.

Mitsune tried to wriggle her hand free, "How dare you touch me slave! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME NOW!"

Motoko and Naru followed Keitaro's lead albeit with extreme annoyance and hidden promises of endless pain to inflict the young man for his display of arrogance in the face of a samurai and royalty.

After a while they heard the unmistakable sound of trampling horses behind them, below the hill.

Then a shout and a deep resounding boom of a horn.

Motoko paused and turned. She suddenly realised the danger they were in. She gave Keitaro a questioning look as he nodded in quiet reply. Then she grabbed hold of Naru's hand and shouted, "LET'S GO! LET'S GO! LET'S GO! RUN!"

The hunt for the fugitives has begun.

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I hope you understand the attitudes of the people in here especially their behaviour towards slaves. Actually Keitaro's not a slave but something else… and… well you better keep on reading to find out. There are heaps of mysteries in here as you should know like the other fanfics that I have written.

Once again my deepest appreciation to the readers who are so kind as to leave a review of what they think of the story. I hope you stay long enough to see what happens in the end.

Anyways, catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	4. iv

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**IV**

---

Tokimune Hojo, the current Hojo regent of the Kamakura shogunate, regarded the young promising warlord kneeling before him. He eyed the young man with both disdain and approval for he knew that the shogunate needed such men of flagrant confidence born of high privilege. They could both inspire and cause hate among liege lords. Either way, they still needed him, a great addition to an ever increasing shogunate army.

"Kentaro Sakata of the Sakata clan… you surprise me," the regent said finally after several heavy moments.

The young man bowed even lower, pressing his head on the ground as a sign of deep humility and acknowledgement of a great power before him. His light brownish hair was combed neatly, but unlike the traditional shaved pate of the samurai, he had arranged it just above his eyebrows with a single strand sticking out on the side. The heavy metal armour he wore has the Sakata code engraved across the chest. His long sword with silver and gold coated hilt was placed an arm's reach before him.

"Tell me… how is your father faring?" the regent asked cagily, watching the young man's reaction.

"He is getting old, my lord," the young man replied without hesitation. His voice was cold and unemotional.

The Sakata clan was a known imperialist. The head of the clan gave their allegiance to emperor Go-Toba during the rebellion of the imperial family against the Kamakura bakufu and he was among the generals defeated at the third battle of Uji Bridge that led to the collapse of the imperial family's attempt to seize complete control over Japanese political power.

And now, the one and only Sakata heir, kneels, pledging loyalty before the very government his father persistently fought against. A very interesting and sudden change but not uncommon as warlords shift allegiances everyday gauging the best option presented before them, the imperial family or the Kamakura bakufu.

_Keep your friends close… but keep your enemies closer, _the regent mused as he considered the young man's request.

The regent stood, "So you are asking me to let you lead the shogun's 'effort' to provide 'gracious' protection for the imperial family's relatives,"

The Hojo regency has been installed after the destruction of the Hiki clan for the guardianship over the Kamakura shogunate that started with the death of the first shogun, Yoritomo Minamoto. Ever since then, Hojo descendants reigned true power over Japan, ruling through a puppet shogun and a titular emperor.

The young man lifted his head slightly and spoke with cold indifference, "I became aware of the shogun's generals' incompetency to accomplish such menial tasks…"

"Silence! Your insolence will cost you your head!" an adviser stepped in quickly, a hand on the hilt of his sword ready to strike the unarmed young man kneeling on the floor, his emotions raging over him.

The regent watched this spectacle with amusement then unconcernedly waved the furious adviser down, "Perhaps you're right Kentaro Sakata… maybe I should let you lead this 'menial task', although it is needless to say that our current 'objective' is very important to us if we are to succeed… and I guess you already know who it is…"

"Yes, my lord… her name is Naru Narusegawa of the Narusegawa clan, daughter of the emperor's advisor for advanced military tactics. She escaped captivity this morning and nobody knows where she is right now,"

"Very good… it seems you know a lot about her… if we are to 'contain' the might of the emperor and his army… we need an 'assurance'… we need her!"

Kentaro stood calmly and stared straight ahead. A smirk formed in his lips, "Yes, my lord… I know everything there is to know about her… I assure you, I will find Naru Narusegawa,"

---

Motoko was confused.

Although she did her best not to show it, she still could not hide her wonder. She watched Keitaro start a fire with the few branches he gathered along the way. And to Motoko's disappointment, he stepped away from the growing flames then collapsed heavily on a nearby tree letting out a piercing whistle.

_It's not there anymore… now… he's different somehow. The cold eyes, the straight face, and the frown of deep concentration… it's all gone. It's like he changed into a completely different person. _Motoko grimaced when Keitaro yawned noisily and scratched himself in places where others should not see, unabashed by the surprised if not curious stare of the other women settled opposite the low bonfire.

"My… such a callous and ill-mannered man! There is a law against indecent behaviour like that!" whispered Mitsune who was gaping with mild astonishment, sitting close to Motoko.

"What do you expect? He's a slave… untrained and barbaric…" Naru said loudly, almost pointedly, as she drew closer to the comfortable heat, the night getting colder and darker.

"Even so…" Motoko mused as she remembered how they managed to escape the rampage of their pursuers.

That afternoon, under the blazing heat of the sun, Keitaro led them deeper into the forest to slow the horsemen who were very close on their trail. They used the trees to confuse directions then after a few moments of agonizing chase they climbed a steep rocky hill that finally discouraged the hunters.

And all that time Motoko observed the young man in silence. She was amazed to see the cold confidence in his actions, the hard decisiveness. It was as if he was trained in such brutal life and death situations or maybe he has experienced the same dilemma before or maybe it was extreme self-preservation. Even so, Keitaro did not act like a slave or a mercenary. He acted like a real samurai. More so if she dared to compare him with other samurais she has met before.

Simply put, he was a remarkable sight in battle.

The way he charged down and annihilated half of the oblivious samurais with only his bow and arrow were either inspired insanity or absolute valour. He followed the basics of ambush right to the book.

And now, after being close to imminent death, he suddenly turned into a carefree beggar; one would seriously doubt what he could really do if they had not seen it for themselves. Very unlike the samurais they were all used to. Samurais with high dignity who acted with refined behaviour and guarded temperament in and out of the battlefield.

"Pardon me Aoyoma-san… is it alright if I take a little wash?" Mitsune bowed slightly towards Motoko, who suddenly snapped back into reality.

The women have agreed to resolve pressing matters the next day as they made themselves comfortable for the night. Su has already made herself a soft bed made of leaves, and was fast asleep. Naru has gently fallen asleep near the bonfire. And Keitaro was propped on the tree, snoring loudly.

"Mitsune-san… you need not be proper with me, please call me Motoko," Motoko bowed in return, speaking quietly so as not to disturb the others, "I believe there is a stream close to us a few steps west… I suggest that you take extra care, you might get lost… would you like me to escort you?"

"No… there's no need for that… we have a bonfire here and I think I can find my way… Keitaro," Mitsune shook her head almost in disgust, unused to casually using his name, "did choose this place for us because of the stream…"

"If you think you can… then it's alright… but please be careful,"

"Thank you Motoko… I will only be away for a moment,"

---

Keitaro opened his eyes the moment he heard the crunching noise of broken twigs and dried grass. He slowly moved his head and found one of the women stood and preceded towards the stream. He gave the surrounding trees a quick look making sure that there were no unseen eyes in the dark. He did this on impulse, acting on mere habit.

"You do not need to worry … I already inspected the area… it is quite safe,"

Keitaro looked up and found the swordswoman standing over him.

"I did not expect you to quickly find a secluded place like this one, easy to defend and hard to penetrate without being seen…" Motoko has her lips pursed, unable to fully and openly accept the young man's sound judgement.

Even in the dark, Keitaro could see the great confusion in Motoko's face. The frown on her eyes and the way she held the hilt of her sword. He could feel neither danger nor anger, just extreme bewilderment, but that did not stop him from moving his unseen hand slowly and cautiously towards the handle of his short blade.

For a long while, Motoko just stood there, looming over Keitaro.

Then suddenly almost completely unprepared, she spoke with uncertainty, "Who are you? What are you? You told me before… you're not a samurai… not a mercenary… you're masterless… homeless by the looks of it… you don't want to fight yet you have the skills and the insight… then… what are you?"

Keitaro let the question hang in the air before answering.

"I'm not really sure,"

Then silence.

Then a splash.

Keitaro was alarmed. He jumped, acting on quick reflex and found himself buried on… Motoko's breasts.

A pause.

Then the sound of pure hatred.

"You. Lecherous. Disgusting. Idiot!" Motoko reddened as Keitaro fumbled grabbing what ever soft flesh he could to take his head out of the soft mounds. Her sword came out in a flash.

Keitaro withdrew and found the swordswoman advancing with murder written clearly on her eyes, crying out, "NO! WAIT! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! I DIDN'T MEAN TO…"

"THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU DID THIS TO ME YOU PERVERT!"

_Waaaaa__! I'm really going to die this time!_ Keitaro was crying his eyes out as the sword came slashing down, and even though he was able to avoid the deadly blade he was thrown viciously back by the force of impact.

He disappeared deeper into the dark forest.

---

Naru was awakened by a loud noise and she found herself staring at a very enraged swordswoman, with the young man buried right in the middle of her chest, his hands groping wildly all over her body. She blushed as she watched the young man finally extract himself from her after few embarrassing touches then quickly scampered out of the way. And she was astonished with what the swordswoman screamed as she sent the young man shooting into the dark abyss.

"The… second time?" Naru reddened even more.

---

Keitaro prayed to Kami for a quick and painless death. But he painfully crashed on the low stream, skidding on the hard ground, sending pebbles, rocks and water all over.

He finally stopped at the deeper end.

He floated for a while then he heard a shout of exclamation.

_By Kami! Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why am I still alive? _Keitaro paddled his way to the shore, unmindful of extreme pain that was starting to crawl all over his body. _I better stay away from that swordswoman! She'll be the death of me!_

He felt hands touch his shoulders and so he tried to stand, he grabbed… something soft… a breast.

Keitaro went cold. Even in the dark he knew what he was touching.

Then he heard a giggle.

"So that's what it was… so that's why you don't want to accept my payment this afternoon… you don't want me to pay you with coins… how very forward of you to ask for payment this way..." Mitsune's face suddenly focused before Keitaro.

He could see the smile, the teasing eyes. And he could definitely see that she has been washing… naked.

Keitaro hurriedly withdrew his hand, stepped backward and bowed.

"I haven't met a man like you before. All men that I met before wouldn't even look at me let alone touch me at all… well… it's not out tradition to be this 'close' … but I think the real reason was that they're all afraid because I'm a Konno," there was a hint of sadness in Mitsune's voice that made Keitaro look up to be greeted with her wet dripping naked body, "but you… you're different… you're so brave… you knew full well that you'd die an excruciating death if anybody sees us now… Konno traditional laws are recognised all over Japan… they severely punish anybody who violates a Konno woman… but still… you're here…"

_I'M GOING TO DIE!_ Keitaro's mind screamed.

Mitsune walked towards the shaking young man. She smiled then slowly reached for his hand. She kissed it then gently placed it over her breast and cooed, "This is your payment… Keitaro-kun,"

"WAAAAA!" Keitaro screamed after a massive nosebleed then he passed out.

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I'm sorry for the delay. Er… I hope no one's upset with this chapter, it was intended as filler and I wanted to put a lighter feel to the story as it gets darker along the road. I'm not even sure if I did a good job on it. I can feel a total flame coming my way. 

Thank you so much for the kind words Saiyan… I'm in your debt. I'm not sure I deserve it but I can tell you one thing though…I intend to finish this fanfic. Like all the other fanfics… it is my belief that if a reviewer is good enough to spend a time to leave a note, then the writer should be grateful as to finish the story. I owe it to the reviewers.

And yes… everybody's going to be here. I'll introduce them one by one for all of them have a part in this weird history of mine. I have a surprise in the end that would make everyone say – aaaah… that's why!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	5. v

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**V**

---

Naru Narusegawa, daughter of the most illustrious and honoured advisor of the imperial family, sighed in frustration as she watched the odd spectacle before her.

She watched the young man who called himself Keitaro, who looked worst than the average street beggar, carrying the little girl from Molmol on his back, look around and chat happily like a village idiot. She felt dirty just staring at him and she could not understand why the young foreigner liked him so much. She felt even more disturbed when they decided that morning that Keitaro should travel with them.

That cool windy morning, Naru started the day with a meeting to hear everybody's plans and destinations.

Motoko bowed and spoke with indifference, "Kaolla Su and I are on our way to the emperor's castle to deliver a personal message…"

"A personal message for the emperor? I assume that such is a very important one… then tell me why your clan has let you travel on your own," Naru inquired; this simple fact perturbed her. A personal message could not be allowed to fall on wrong hands. And she could feel that this was no ordinary message.

"We weren't alone. We were ambushed… my men were all killed…"

Naru did not speak but let the revelation hang in the air. She nodded knowing that her suspicions were correct. Although she could not bluntly ask for the message's contents for such impolite and ill-mannered act towards the emperor's personal effects was punishable by death, she could feel an unseen heavy significance. The message simply needed to be delivered as soon as possible and the emperor's enemies would not make it any easier.

Naru then turned towards Mitsune who answered gently, "I have a personal grievance that I would like to impart the emperor,"

Then it was settled. Naru needed to return to the emperor's castle to reunite with her father. And so everybody agreed that they would travel together and would use the open road that would lead them to the palace.

That was when Keitaro spoke. He was sitting on tree branch above the women and was busy cleaning and counting arrows. He was working leisurely with a careless smile on his face. He wasn't missed when the council started without him and that did not surprise or bother him at all.

"Bad idea…"

Naru frowned, "You're still here… I thought Mitsune has already paid you… why are you still here?"

At that Mitsune blushed furiously. Lucky for her nobody noticed her reddened face.

"All I'm saying is that you can not use the open road… it's true that it's the easiest and quickest way… but it's also the dangerous one…"

"What are you talking about slave? The open road is guarded by a battalion of the emperor's finest samurais…" Naru retorted with annoyance.

"That's right… but the battalion line would not start before two more villages… between here and those small villages, you might run into shogunate samurais… lots of them…"

There was a pause.

The wind was breezing through and the heat of the sun was slowly warming the shady forest.

"My father would know that I would be using the open road and I am certain that he would send scouts to aid us against the shogunate samurais…"

"I am confident that your father would have thought of that… but so would the shogunate… and I know that the emperor – no matter how many samurai he has – cannot allow a great force away from his territory and into an open ground…"

"And why is that?" Naru almost screamed impatiently.

"Because it might trigger unrest with opposing clans nearby… because it might be misunderstood as a 'challenge' or a misplaced 'taunt' to exercise power… and that would inevitably result into an untimely civil war… and the emperor would not be able to afford that… well, not yet anyway…"

That stopped the argument.

It was true. The open road would lead them directly to the emperor's castle. But from where they were now, two connecting villages were on the way. Although those small villages were neutral or does not side with any of the two opposing powers, it was predictable that a number of shogunate samurais would be waiting, ready to spring a trap.

They thought about deviating through the rocky hills and forest then walking towards the open road only after they passed the safety of the imperial picket lines. But that would make their journey twice longer. There was also the possibility that the shogunate samurais might be waiting behind the forest trees of the open road which would be harder for them to detect if a trap was being laid. Atleast the villages were an open ground with the comfort of likelihood that there might be hidden imperial scouts and spies ready to aid them. Most of all, there would be no surprises because villagers talk. If there was any hint that the shogunate samurais were lying in wait they would easily hear it directly from the locals.

For a while nobody spoke.

Then Motoko looked up to Keitaro who was now busy stretching his bow, and spoke with a cold tone, "You're coming with us,"

"Huh?"

"You will assist us in reaching the emperor's castle,"

Keitaro paled, "Er? I'm sorry… but I don't actually have any problems that I would like the emperor to be aware of right now… and to tell you the truth I feel a little bit uncomfortable meeting anybody from the castle… I mean it's not that I hate anybody from there but you see---"

"SILENCE!"

There was a sudden flash of metal, a gush of wind then a loud crash, bathing everybody in a cloud of dust.

Naru sat agape. She watched Motoko drew her sword in a straight line upward releasing a hissing wind and cut the tree branch where Keitaro was sitting cleanly in half, sending him crashing into the ground.

There was a moment of silence as the dust floated then finally settled.

Motoko gracefully sheathed her sword and walked towards Keitaro's crumpled form.

"That was quite a fall…" Mitsune said while squinting up at the tree branch where Keitaro has been, "And it was really high too…"

"Is he alive?" Kaolla knelt close to Keitaro with a stick and started to prod him with a clueless smile, "Hey… are you alive Keitaro?"

Motoko knelt next to the seemingly unconscious young man and whispered impassively, "You will help us reach the emperor's castle and when we get there… we will pay you… then you can do whatever you want… you can leave anytime… but not until we reach the emperor's castle… do you understand?"

"Ooooof… I can't feel my legs," slowly came the choked words underneath the heap of dirt on the ground.

"Do you understand me?" Motoko repeated threateningly.

"Ooooof… if I wasn't buried on the ground you would see me nodding…"

Naru sighed.

With Naru's supervision, ignoring Keitaro's plea to help him bandage his broken body while crying out in pain, Motoko laid out the simple plan of slipping into one of the village's house then buying a commoner's clothes. Both Naru and Mitsune's clothes have the royal signage of the imperial family next to their clan's emblems that clearly shows status and royal privilege. They have to travel incognito in between the villages. And when they reach the open road under the protection of the imperial guards, they would immediately change back into their normal dresses.

Naru turned towards Motoko. She could see the coldness in her face, her back rigid, her head held high. She could see the pride under the delicate finesse of a growing woman. She felt envious. She wanted the same strength and the same skills but she knew deep inside that there were more to strength other than brute force. She approached Motoko.

"It was the ancient air-splitting sword technique… was it?" Naru said suddenly after falling in line with Motoko.

Motoko did not reply but kept her stride. She was looking beyond the trees. Her eyes and ears were ever vigilant of any sudden sounds or movements.

Then Motoko nodded.

"I mastered the technique last season… and since then… I have been honing it to my own preferences,"

Naru was silent for awhile then she whispered, "It's incredible… the skill to concentrate your ki into a devastating matter powerful enough to explode like a bomb and lethal enough to pierce like a deadly needle… I have never seen such power from a sword wielded by woman,"

Motoko faced Naru and said, "Your wide knowledge is quite impressive Naru-sempai…"

Naru smiled then nodded, "I believe that in the future… women will be given a chance to act according to her own free will and that we will be able to do as men would… just like you…"

Motoko smiled in reply.

"Is that it?" Kaolla pointed atop Keitaro's shoulders.

"I believe that's it Kaolla…" came the young man's reply.

Naru looked up and saw the first shelter emerge behind the thick trees.

They have arrived at the first village.

---

Motoko and Keitaro were the first to emerge from the trees to scout the closest house, leaving the others behind, instructed them to wait and be ready for anything.

The house was made of wood and thick bamboo stalks. It was a small but decent shelter made for a single family. It was clean and tidy and the earthen ground was wet with morning dew. There was a small vegetable garden on the side close to the house wall and it was being tended by a young blue haired girl. She looked as young as Kaolla Su.

The girl was busy uprooting weeds from her little vegetable patch that started to grow after days of cold winds and misty mornings unaware of two visitors from the forest trees.

Then Keitaro accidentally stepped on his own foot, tried to regain his balance by flapping his arms around then finally fell on the muddy ground splattering muck everywhere.

The girl was slightly disturbed. She looked up from her work and found a filthy black muck covered face staring straight at her.

She screamed in terror.

---

"I'm so sorry…" Keitaro repeated, a hand at the back of his head, bowing all the while, "I didn't mean to scare you… I apologize… I'm so sorry…"

"It's alright… I was just shocked… I mean… you did look… scary you know…" the young girl said blushing furiously as she placed set of clothes on the clean tatami floor.

Keitaro suddenly felt a pang of pain causing him to double over with his hand over his head as he received another blow from Motoko's sword handle.

"Owwww!" Keitaro hissed.

"Serves you right! Your carelessness will get us all killed!" Motoko said in extreme annoyance for a countless times now while pacing around the room, pausing only to hit Keitaro again.

"Are you telling me he tripped on his own foot?" Naru asked incredulously while selecting from the different dresses presented before her.

"How can anybody be careless enough to trip on his own foot?" Mitsune piped in as she came out from an adjacent room wearing plain brown clothes, then she faced the blue haired girl and spoke endearingly, "Thank you for the clothes Shinobu-chan… it fits perfectly,"

Shinobu Maehara blushed and said timidly, "It's my mother's…"

Naru, Mitsune and Kaolla joined the two when everything has been properly calmed down. They found a fear-stricken blue haired little girl clinging onto Motoko's legs and a muddy Keitaro apologizing fervently when they arrived.

Shinobu Maehara was the daughter of the village's resident doctor. The house was stocked with herbal medicines, herbal plants, paper inscriptions and instructions.

Two days ago, Shinobu's parents were called to assist the shogunate's wounded samurais that survived an ambush. And they were expected to return after three days.

The visitors became silent when Shinobu started talking about the afternoon her parents were called. A samurai drenched in blood arrived shouting hysterically at their doorstep asking for help. He was screaming about a big explosion and samurais being thrown bodily in to the air. Although the Maehara's were neutral by nature, they could not stand idle by and let people die, not if they could still do something to save lives. And so they were given fresh horses and let the samurai lead them to the location.

Then Shinobu sighed.

Motoko has her lips pursed; Naru and Mitsune both have dark shadows over their eyes, shadow of guilt, while Keitaro and Kaolla on the other hand were playing hand wrestle.

An awkward silence passed except for Keitaro and Kaolla's gleeful shouts at the background.

Then Motoko screamed in frustration, "WILL YOU TWO STOP PLAYING?"

"Huh?" was the chorused reply.

Then Motoko stormed out of the house and left everybody staring at her with utter surprise.

"I… I hope I didn't say anything to offend Motoko-sempai…" Shinobu whispered.

"Don't worry Shinobu-chan… it's not you… she's just trying to sort things out on her own…" Mitsune said calmly, walking towards Shinobu to give her a motherly hug.

"I think we should get something to eat before we continue the journey…" Naru stood and started to follow Motoko outside.

---

Motoko, Naru and Mitsune decided to buy some food from the nearest restaurant. Dressed in plain brown peasant's clothing, including Motoko who agreed that a swordswoman in a samurai's uniform was not very common, they were confident that if there were shogunate samurais waiting for them, they wouldn't be easily recognised.

They set out and blend with countless of passers-by that streamed along the village towards the open road. And they could not see any samurais at all.

---

"So Shinobu-chan… you didn't see any samurais pass by this road since this morning?" Keitaro said as he looked around the busy road.

Keitaro and Kaolla were ordered to stay with Shinobu and wait until the others return with the food.

"I hope they return soon… I'm really hungry!" Kaolla protested, hanging her head out above Keitaro's.

"Well… I can cook some for you Kaolla-san if you want?"

"Don't worry Shinobu-chan… we don't want to bother you… we've already asked so much with the clothes… it wouldn't be right…"

Shinobu blushed. For some odd reason whenever Keitaro speak to her or even look her way, Shinobu starts to redden. Keitaro shrugged this little observation and watched the road again.

The trio were huddled together on the side walk behind a used dry well under a dying tree. Their position has a good vantage point to see the countless people that were crowding the village pathways, coming in and out towards the open road.

Keitaro grunted, "Awful lot of monks around here…"

Shinobu looked up, "That's right… they said that there was some sort of a pilgrimage towards the hills of the second village… I saw them coming in since this morning when I went to buy some tea leaves from the restaurant…"

Then Keitaro froze.

His cold reaction was felt by his immediate companions.

"Are you okay Keitaro? Something the matter? Hunger finally got into you?" Kaolla inquired looking down into Keitaro's face.

"Are you alright sempai?" Shinobu added with deep concern etched on her eyes.

There was a pause.

The noise of people walking on the dried dirt road was loud at the background.

Then Keitaro slowly stood, his eyes was narrowed into a slit and spoke with a cold tone, "Kaolla… I want you to take Shinobu-chan back to her house… then I want you to hide behind one of the forest trees and keep watch… no matter what happens, stay with Shinobu-chan but don't let yourself be seen by any shogunate samurais…"

Kaolla eyes widened and searched the busy road, "I don't get it… I can't find any shogunate samurais around here… how can you say they're here?"

"It's because monks don't usually carry shogunate marked swords…"

_I hope we're not too late!_

---

Motoko chose the seat that was closest to the door. Naru and Kitsune started the labour of ordering food to be prepared in bowls so they could take it with them back to Shinobu's house.

The restaurant was crowded that afternoon. There were a number of monks sitting quietly on the shady corners close to the windows. Travellers came in and out, eating and taking away bowls of smoking food. Some were merrily drinking with warm sake. Shouts of greetings and acknowledgements could be heard every now and then. It was a typical busy afternoon.

Then Motoko felt something in the air.

She looked around, she saw Naru and Mitsune were still busy ordering; travellers were innocently streaming in and out of the restaurant minding their own business. There weren't any sign of threat but there was something. Something was gnawing under her skin. And years of training told her that danger was imminent.

Then she saw them.

Three nondescript travellers were approaching their table. They were similarly dressed in plain black clothes, their faces dark beneath the wide rattan hat.

Naru and Mitsune finally finished their specific requests from the attendant who walked away with a confused look on his face. And Naru found an alarmed Motoko looking past her.

So Naru turned around to see what Motoko was looking at.

Then she let out a gasp.

The strangers were now standing before the three women. Their hats were taken off and so were their gleaming swords. And one of them was smirking.

"It's been a while… Naru Narusegawa…"

Naru quickly stood, "Kentaro!"

Motoko looked around and found the restaurant suddenly quiet and empty. It was completely surrounded by shogunate samurais.

Kentaro approached menacingly, "Tell me my love… why did you ran away?"

_We're trapped!_

* * *

Hi there guys and gals! Sorry for the delay of this chapter. And I hope it wasn't that long enough for you to forget about this weird fic of mine. It's not writer's block… it's just that I seem to have a hard time bringing back the mood to write. Weird. I know how the story would go… but I just can't sit down and write it.

Well hopefully this chapter is enough to bring back the suspense. Well… just let me know what you think of it in the reviews! Thanks again to all who were kind enough to leave a note. I appreciate it dearly. Hopefully I could post the next chapter. I just finished half of it!

Thanks again! Cheers!

nivremous


	6. vi

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**VI**

---

Kentaro Sakata does not believe in blind chance or heavenly providence.

For him everything happens for a purpose. Everything in the world has a reason for existing. Everybody has their own predestined path. Everybody has a role to play. Everyone has their own place in the grand scheme of life… everyone. And nothing could change that… nothing.

And so no man could make his own future for that future has already been decided for him by a power higher than his own. And that ultimate power was the shogunate.

The shogun was the extreme ruler of man's fate, the architect of his life by imposing specific tasks to be followed until the day he dies. And in this land where the sun rises with lush golden wonder, nothing could contest such strength of authority.

Anybody who does shall die by Kentaro's sword.

Kentaro smirked. He opened his hand and balled it again into a fist. To be given a power to decide any man's fate was a privilege worth his life.

He looked up and watched the 'prisoners' ushered outside, into the main road.

The village has fallen to his control the day before. After the ambush on the road and futile attempts at recapturing the fugitives, Kentaro usurped the elders who formed a mere semblance of village governance. The villagers quickly succumbed to his wishes under severe threats of complete annihilation.

Cruelty has always been his strength, his key; to dominate lesser beings was his sole purpose.

Then Kentaro ordered his samurais to walk around the village as monks to hide their true identity. And soon enough, they caught sight of Narusegawa among the thick stream of villagers unaware of a trap she blissfully thought she could avoid.

And to his delight and amusement he also caught an Aoyoma and a Konno. Prestigious and ancient lineage of imperialist warriors, they represent everything the shogunate abhorred.

Kentaro smiled, _this should be interesting._

---

Motoko could not hide her shame.

She honestly believed that they could evade capture from the far-reaching clutches of the ever powerful shogunate army. She could now see how stupid and gullible she has been. And that mistake would now cost them their lives and their honour. She had failed. She had utterly and shamefully failed.

_Why didn't I think of asking assistance when we clearly needed it… how can I be so… proud? Sister…_

Motoko raised her head and almost let out a moan of desperation.

But she kept her face straight, devoid herself of any hint of emotions. She gripped her sword tighter. She looked around and found the village almost empty. It was completely surrounded by shogunate samurais. The villagers and strangers she had seen earlier has either left or stayed indoors, out of sight.

She sighed. She made a decision.

Motoko Aoyoma would die with honour. She would face death like a true warrior.

---

Mitsune was busy counting the shogunate samurais around them.

Through her despair she observed the futility of a possible escape. She trembled under the heat of the afternoon sun. And what made her feel even more miserable was that the village was empty. Not one has the courage to stand up and offer assistance… not one.

And for her, three women surrounded by armed men was more than enough reason for anybody… for any man.

She could not help but think that Japan has truly descended into an era of fear, where brutality was a way of life, that the sword was more commanding than honour and chivalry. Could this get any worst?

For some odd reason, Mitsune has someone on her mind. And to think that she felt a glimmer of hope whenever she thought of his odd smile, awkward attitude and calm demeanour was something she was yet to comprehend.

She sighed, _Keitaro… where are you?_

---

Naru kept her head high.

She glared at the samurais staring at them. She felt defeated but she kept her face impassive. The imperial courts had thought her to keep her pride even in the face of defeat. And such was the attitude of the imperial family against the might of the Kamakura shogunate.

For pride was what the imperial family has. The nobility of their blood free of barbarity and of violence. And for a long time they have been trying to restore that pride back to this motherland divided by ferocious hostilities.

_No… I will not yield to them. There is more to brute strength. I will not condone this barbaric act. Enough is enough!_

---

Kentaro approached the women.

He faced Naru and smiled, "How are you my dear---,"

Before Kentaro could finish a deafening slap echoed through the stillness of the village. Naru's hand had swung full into Kentaro's face causing him to leer back.

And for a moment nobody spoke. The samurais stared awestruck by what they had just witnessed. They were confused and they could not decide whether to draw sword or not. Such disrespectful act towards their lord was punishable by death and royalty was not an exception.

Then a samurai stepped forward drawing his sword.

But Kentaro raised a hand.

He composed himself and faced Naru again, his face unreadable but his eyes were cold, he whispered, "I will let it pass this time… but the moment you raise your hand again… I will behead you myself,"

Naru glared back but kept her mouth close, her hands on the side.

Then Kentaro walked towards Motoko.

"Motoko Aoyoma… what a pleasant surprise. I never thought I'd run in to you this fateful day…" Kentaro said a little playfully.

Motoko stared back and whispered, "I'm sorry but I don't take pleasure at meeting a low life who takes women as hostages like you…"

Kentaro frowned with bemusement, "Oh really? Women? I see only two… that is… if you could clarify what you are…"

Motoko flushed with anger. She drew her sword in a quick motion and swung it directly towards Kentaro's neck but it was deflected. Kentaro pushed Motoko's sword aside and kicked her on the knee causing her to drop on the floor. She stifled a scream of pain.

Then Kentaro kicked her on the stomach, lifting her off the ground to drop heavily two paces away. She retched under a cloud of dust.

"Motoko!" Mitsune quickly came to Motoko's aid.

Kentaro stared at the two with a detached sentiment. Then he turned around and faced the astonished samurais watching him and shouted, "THERE! THAT ENDS THE DISCUSSION. ANYBODY WHO THINKS THAT AN AOYOMA IS INDESTRUCTABLE… HERE IS YOUR LIVING PROOF. THEY ARE NOTHING MORE THAN AN EXCUSE FOR A SWORDSMAN!

Motoko heard the insult. Her sight suddenly turned red. Despite the pain, she gritted her teeth in fury as she pushed Mitsune aside to raise her sword high. But before she could move any further Kentaro faced her, closed the gap and swung his sword wildly at the outstretched blade.

The swords clashed ferociously and because of the pain, Motoko was unable to hold, her blade flew out of her hands. Then Kentaro swivelled, kicking Motoko on the neck causing her to be thrown again and land painfully on the dirt. Motoko almost fainted but held on as she coughed blood on the ground.

"KENTARO THAT IS ENOUGH!" Naru shouted from behind; her eyes wide with shock. She could not believe the man's brutality.

But Kentaro disregarded her. He kept his eyes on Motoko's heaving form on the ground. Mitsune once again ran towards Motoko but this time she stood before Kentaro and blocked his way with her arms open.

"Please… stop… please…" Mitsune begged; her eyes red with tears.

"That's for the shogunate samurais you killed…" Kentaro whispered, and then shouted, "MEN! CAN YOU SEE IT NOW? SHE IS NOTHING!"

Kentaro walked towards Naru and continued, "SHE IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN ABNORMALITY! TRYING TO BE SOMETHING SHE IS NOT! AND IN THE EYES OF THE SHOGUN… YOU'RE EITHER A SAMURAI OR NOTHING… SHE ACTS LIKE A MAN BUT SHE'S LESS THAN A SWORDSMAN… SHE'S ONLY A GIRL… WEAK… PATHETIC… LITTLE---"

"She's a true samurai,"

Kentaro was taken aback.

He turned around and found himself staring at a beggar. Or what he thought was a beggar. The man has a dishevelled look, with pieces of rags as his clothes. He was standing in the middle of the street with the shogunate samurais around him.

The newcomer's look wasn't really threatening. It was almost laughable. His defiance was a puny attempt in the midst of inevitable defeat. But what caught Kentaro's attention were the stranger's eyes. It was the cold brown eyes staring back at him that was striking.

It was the eyes of a killer.

Kentaro growled, "Who are you? Are you a slave?"

But the newcomer did not answer. Instead he faced Mitsune who was now busy calming Motoko and asked gently, "Is she alright Konno-san?"

Mitsune glowed at the sight of Keitaro. She felt an utter sense of relief to know that he was there with them. She couldn't hide her gladness. She smiled and answered, "I think she'll be fine…" _You're here! You didn't run away! You're here!_

But Motoko raised her hand, shaking her head and painfully spoke, "Get… out… of here… you fool… save… your---" Another cough, "---self… idiot!"

Kentaro stomped his feet, irate at being ignored publicly, "YOUR INSOLENCE WILL CAUSE YOU YOUR HEAD SLAVE!"

But Keitaro continued to ignore him. Keitaro bowed towards Motoko then to Naru who was looking at him with both surprise, relief and disdain written across her face, and said, "I apologize for being late… there are a couple of things I need to take care of…"

Then slowly Naru bowed back. It was an unusual response from her. She couldn't help but feel relieved at seeing Keitaro. Containing her sinuous glee with every bit of discipline, she straightened her face and said, "You're either truly insane or stupid…"

Keitaro smiled, "I think I'm a bit of both…"

Kentaro exploded, "ENOUGH!"

He charged towards Keitaro with his sword held high slashing downward. Keitaro deftly side stepped the attack and drew his own short sword.

Then Kentaro swiftly swung his sword to the side and was blocked by the short sword.

The clash of metal rang into the village.

Kentaro drew the sword back again and swung wildly towards Keitaro's neck. But Keitaro read the attack and dodged the blade, stretching his own short sword, he closed the sword gap between them.

Keitaro's sword stopped a hairline away from Kentaro's neck.

Kentaro froze.

The shogunate samurais let out one collective gasp as they watched their liege lord embarrassingly countered and defeated by a scruffy looking warrior in quick successive motions. But it was the speed exhibited by the unknown warrior that was more surprising than their lord's shameful defeat. They had not seen such speed before.

Motoko stared wide mouthed.

---

_What in Kami's name is that? How did he manage to…?_

Motoko was speechless. Her mind was beyond coherence trying to decipher the mystery that was the odd looking beggar named Keitaro. She watched with surmounting interest as Keitaro blurred between the blade slashes and closed the gap with confident ease.

And now the young man she thought a slave and a beggar had the arrogant liege lord's life in his hand. And Motoko have no doubt that Keitaro would kill him mercilessly.

Motoko blinked.

_What? Did he just look at me? Or did I just saw him wink at me? Why would he…?_

Looking around Motoko found her sword an arm's reach from her.

Setting her pain aside, Motoko drew the last of her strength. Her features darkened as she reached for her sword.

---

Kentaro stared deep into Keitaro's cold brown eyes.

Their faces were close. And Kentaro could feel the cold metal of the blade pressed hard against his neck. And he could see that this young man would kill him if he made a mistake. This young man before him would kill him. He could see it in his eyes.

Three samurais tentatively stepped forward.

"DON'T MOVE!" Kentaro shouted the order.

He kept his eyes on his assailant.

If there's one thing Kentaro was confident of aside from everything else, it would be his ability to recognise one's own skills. And he could see that in the young man. He could see the raw power hidden beneath the layers of filthy clothing, unshaven dirty face. He could see through the young man's cold eyes, the experience, the tragedy, the raw hatred burning through his very being.

Kentaro smirked and whispered, "You're good… tell me you're name… and maybe I could forget this little incident,"

For a moment the young man blinked then answered politely, "My name's Keitaro. If we are to meet on more friendly circumstances… I could have bought you a glass of sake,"

Kentaro frowned, "If you are a samurai of great honour… I could have accepted wholeheartedly…"

Keitaro raised an eyebrow, his hand never flinching, and the pressure of the blade against Kentaro's neck never faltered even for a second, "Really? Well then… more sake for me…"

"But… your sword skills is something I could truly recognise as competent… something the shogun would recognise as well… why don't you join us… and maybe… just maybe… we could drink that glass of sake after all…"

A moment passed before Keitaro finally spoke.

"Hmmm… I'm sorry but no deal…"

"Oh? And why is that?"

"The women over there… the one you just cowardly fought with has already hired me… so…"

Kentaro reddened in anger. His pride once again slighted but he chose to let it pass, "Then let me offer you a better deal…"

"Actually… I don't make deals with dead men… you shouldn't have made her so angry you know…"

Keitaro slowly released his hold and stepped back. Then he quickly dived to the ground.

Kentaro was still busy trying to comprehend Keitaro's last statement when a scream shook him out of his reverie. Looking up, he found Motoko shooting down towards him with her sword held high over her head, her eyes red with cold fury, her mouth wide open with ferocious snarl, and the battle aura around her was so intense that she glowed like torch.

**"ROCK SPLITTING SWORD!"******

Kentaro's eyes widened in horror, raised his arms over his head and screamed, "OH NO!"

---

An explosion shook the land.

The tremor was felt through out the neighbouring villages, sending flocks of birds into the sky as trees swayed furiously, winds storming with incredible force. People panicked and animals scattered away from the mountains and into the open field.

Then a thick black mushroom like cloud rose into the sky.

Many thought that the end of the world was upon them. And many commented on the fury of such cataclysmic event. And it was said that a God must have been offended. But nobody knew which one.

---

"What in the…" A stout samurai paused a moment to watch the spectacle in the sky.

His companion, slimmer and taller, did the same and his face showed pure astonishment.

"What do you make out of that Shirai?"

The smaller samurai only shivered and whispered, "I don't know Haitani… something bad is coming our way… I could feel it…"

"Well… that's for sure if we don't get our backsides out of here and into that first village… the lady Narusegawa could be waiting for us…"

Shirai shrugged and lumbered past the other as they stealthily moved deeper into the forest.

"I just wished we have more companions to assist us just in case… this place is crawling with shogunate samurais… you know how merciless they are with imperial samurais like us…"

"Don't worry about that… I could sense that something BIGGER is about to happen…"

"Why is that?"

"Seta-san just arrived before we left…"

The smaller samurai paused again. And for the second time that fateful day his face showed shock and cold concern, "You mean the Norieyasu clan? They're here!"

"That's right… the battle hardened, mighty general of the whole imperial army has returned to the castle to meet with the emperor,"

"This is not good! This is not good at all! That means---,"

"War is imminent… we're going to war!"

* * *

Hi there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay! I was a bit busy… and I hope you stay with me long enough to see what would happen in the end. I hope that the action I presented in here is enough for all of you… although the truth is it's just a preview of what's in store in the future… well… what with all the invasion about to happen… and yes everybody's here! I promise! Right down to the side line characters! All of them!

Thanks again for those who were kind enough to leave a message. And please tell me what you think of the story.

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	7. vii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**VII**

---

The wind was blowing horrendously.

Motoko was standing in the midst of chaos, her mind and body on the brink of collapse. Her body numb, her hands shaking and her throat parched and aching. It was pain she has never felt before. It was beyond pain.

Leaning shakily on her sword she squinted and tried to see through the strong haze.

She could see nothing.

There was nothing but thick dust that has completely blanketed the surrounding. There was nothing but the torrential noise of the furious gust of wind.

_Is this the end for me? _Motoko's eyes closed. Painfully lifting her head, she wished to see the blue sky for the last time. _Atleast… I honoured my family. If only I could see him again… even just a glimpse…_

Then finally, Motoko gave way. Dropping her sword, she fell down gracefully, her hair flowing in the air, her body falling into the abyss.

And she was caught by a pair of strong arms.

"Kei… ta… ro?"

Then everything went black.

---

Motoko awoke with a start.

She awoke breathing heavily, her whole body shaking and sweating. She found herself under thick layers of blanket. And she could smell a soothing aroma in the air, a beautiful scent that reminds her strongly of home.

Focusing her mind, Motoko looked around with rising apprehension. She could see rocks and stones everywhere. It was dark and the only light was a small bonfire next to her.

Then she understood where she was. She was inside a cave.

"You're awake…"

Motoko snapped to her right and found Keitaro looking at her.

"That's good…" Without pausing, Keitaro approached Motoko and gently placed a hand on her forehead.

Motoko blushed furiously. And she could not move for Keitaro never gave her the chance to react. She sat there staring at him dumbstruck, as he gently measured her temperature.

_Warm… he's warm._

"I think your fever's gone…" Keitaro finally said after a while then he walked towards the makeshift table on the side, "You've been in here for two days now… we were getting worried. But Shinobu-chan was excellent… she made sure you drink the herbal medicines she prepared for you," Turning around, Keitaro sat beside Motoko and offered her a bowl.

Motoko looked at the bowl for a moment then accepted it tentatively.

_So…__ I've been sick. For two days! That's a very long time to get sick._

Then Motoko glanced towards Keitaro who was now busy inspecting his arrows.

"I… uh… what… what happened?"

"Hmmm? Oh… well… you see… I kinda found you just in time. Mitsune and Naru's okay and so we took you at Shinobu's house. Then we decided to leave the village,"

"But… what about the shogunate---,"

"Oh them? I think they're all alright but they all passed out. They were all knocked unconscious by the strong impact. That's why we managed to escape without being seen and the thick haze was also a given as nobody could recognize anybody through that thing,"

Keitaro said all this casually as he scrutinized his arrow tips.

Motoko observed her companion. She felt an unfamiliar warmth coursing through her. Being this close to him made her feel somewhat… secure. It was an odd feeling.

"Where… where are the… others?"

"Naru and Mitsune are having a dip on the stream close to this cave down aways, Kaolla and Shinobu are preparing dinner outside and Shirai's looking after them…"

"Shirai?"

"Oh yeah… you haven't met them yet… two days ago when we were coursing our way through the forest we accidentally bumped into them. They were the scouts sent by Narusegawa's father… imperial samurais. Shirai Kimiaki and Haitani Masayuki,"

"Haitani Masayuki?"

"Oh sorry… Narusegawa ordered Haitani to return to the castle to gather more samurais to aid us on our journey. Shirai's here to help us in case the shogunate samurais attack us again,"

"I see…"

Motoko looked down on her bowl.

_That would mean Keitaro has been taking care of me ever since… but why? _"Why?"

"Huh?" Keitaro looked up from his arrow bag.

"Tell me…" Motoko felt a stinging on her eyes. Tears she could not hold back. It was the shame of being weak. She has failed and she was saved twice by a man she has mistreated so badly, "After all the things I've done to you… all that… why are you… helping me? I have failed… I deserve nothing but death… why? Why are you here?"

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"Because you're a good samurai,"

Motoko turned towards Keitaro. Her eyes wide with astonishment.

"You have great strength in you. You have the discipline and the proper training to handle things your way. You have a great potential… Aoyoma-san," Keitaro faced Motoko with a grave expression. He ceremoniously bowed to her and whispered, "I know my life's worth nothing but I am willing to entrust it to you,"

Keitaro paused.

Then he slowly stood and walked towards the cave's opening and said, "I would gladly follow you to war…"

After he left, Motoko wiped the tears from her eyes.

She smiled.

She felt the unfamiliar warmth inside her, the lightness in her heart, comfortable.

"I'm not sure if I deserve your life Keitaro… kun,"

---

Naru's mind was in chaos.

Ever since the day she met Keitaro she has been distancing herself from him. She knew that one way or the other it would lead inevitably to an affection she does not want or need.

But watching him during those life and death situations, she could not hold her admiration any longer. It's true that Keitaro does look worst than an average street beggar but he makes up for it with his courage, undeniably competent fighting skills and determination never to give up.

She watched him carry Motoko tirelessly and without hint of exhaustion through the race at the forest trying to gain distance between them and the still unaware shogunate samurais.

She watched him care for Motoko with an undivided attention and somehow managed to keep the rest of them safe and secure at the same time. Everything he does he does selflessly, his thoughts on others and not for himself. A kindness, Naru could not understand but approved appreciatively.

It was incredible.

"He's something… isn't he?" Mitsune started, feeling refreshed as they walked back towards the cave.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naru replied irritably as she snapped out of her reverie.

"You know who I mean… I can see it in your eyes… you've been watching him for the last two days!"

"What! What are you talking about Mitsune? And don't talk things like that to me or to anybody!" Naru retorted, waving her fist in anger.

Mitsune ignored Naru and whispered, "I don't know about you but for me… he's no ordinary guy. He's… different,"

"That's because he's a disgusting idiot!" Naru pointed out.

Mistune shook her head in amusement and said, "Suit yourself Naru-chan. I'm not denying it. I like him… I might even be inlove with him…"

Naru froze.

"You're… you're just teasing me… right? I mean… you're not serious… Mitsune you couldn't possibly be serious about this!"

"Let's say it's a possibility… shall we?"

"NO WAY!"

---

Shinobu was staring at the cave's opening, a look of concern visible on her face.

"Don't worry Shinobu-chan Motoko's going to be alright!" Kaolla shouted, whooping happily after tasting the soup they've been preparing for dinner, "That's so tasty Shinobu-chan!"

Shinobu gently shook her head, she smiled and said, "No… I'm not worried about Motoko-sempai… it's just that…"

"Aaaah! You mean Keitaro… huh? You're worried about Keitaro… right?"

Shinobu nodded shyly, "It's just that sempai seems a bit… troubled lately… he's been watching over Motoko-sempai ever since we left the village… I'm just afraid that he might exhaust himself…"

Shinobu decided to join Keitaro's group after seeing Motoko's state. She did her best to keep Motoko's temperature low. And when Keitaro insisted that they should leave the village as soon as possible using the thick cloud of dust as their cover, Shinobu made a decision. And she took with him medicines, herbal plants and blankets for Motoko.

It was the first time she left home. And somehow she didn't feel homesick or sad at all.

She felt free.

It was as if she was meant to be with them.

But there was another reason why Shinobu joined them.

One person.

Kaolla jumped, "Don't worry about Keitaro Shinobu-chan! He's a warrior… he don't tire easily you know!"

"Kaolla-san's right,"

Shinobu wheeled around and found Keitaro sitting on top of the cave rock.

"Sempai! How long have you been there?"

"Er… not long… Motoko's awake… so don't worry about her…" Keitaro jumped down and walked towards Shinobu. He smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Thanks to your medicines, she'll be alright…"

Shinobu blush a deep shade of red and mumbled, "It's… it's nothing really… I mean…"

"No… not nothing… it's something. You're the most skilful doctor I have ever met… young and cute too," Keitaro winked.

Shinobu reddened even more, coughing lightly to hide her face.

Then Keitaro stood and clapped his hands, "So…! What's for dinner?"

---

Haitani arrived the next day with a delegation of fifty armed strong imperial samurais personally selected by Naru's father. And they have brought a rickshaw for Motoko.

After several introductions, the party began their journey again and chose to take the second village path that would connect to the open road and towards the imperial castle.

The imperial samurais formed a battle line screen with Naru, Mitsune, Kaolla, Shinobu and Motoko inside the rickshaw being pulled by Keitaro himself in the middle, Haitani and Shirai leading them. And for once, they all felt at ease.

Naru has been mumbling all day to no one in particular keeping an eye at Mitsune who has been happily chatting with Keitaro ever since they set out on the road.

Mitsune disregarded the looks the imperial samurais gave her when she started talking with the young man. Her blatant display was both a contradiction to Konno tradition and Japanese sense of privilege between the poor and the all powerful.

Kaolla and Shinobu have been talking with each other next to the rickshaw although Shinobu has kept her eyes on Mitsune with a slight disapproving frown.

Motoko feigned asleep inside her rickshaw. Although she kept her senses open for any possible danger, she was focused on what was happening between her rickshaw puller and the beguiling Konno woman. And for the first time, she felt a stabbing pain in her heart. It was curiously alarming. And the whole morning she has been debating a question on her mind: Is she jealous?

Keitaro was naturally clueless of all this, although the whole morning he felt a burning sensation around him, as if someone's staring at him for some reason. But he dismissed it and kept his eyes on the road as he tirelessly pulled the rickshaw nodding all the while at Mitsune's chatter. He didn't get much of what she was saying but he just smiled and pretended that he was listening.

And late afternoon, the party suddenly stopped.

They heard a sound.

Then it dawned to them what it was.

It was the sound of collective feet walking at a brisk pace. It was the sound of an army walking on the open from the imperial castle. It was the sound of the imperial army.

And there were thousands of them.

Their flags and banners were waving above their heads, showing full their origins, clans and designations; their faces straight with grimness common to samurais marching towards an evitable battle.

Haitani and Shirai walked towards Keitaro as the party stepped out of the road and into the side bushes to make way for the mighty imperial army.

"What did I tell you huh?" Haitani commented as he watched the procession, nodding all the while at some familiar faces.

"Where are they going?" Mitsune asked as she took in the great number samurais.

"They're going to war…" Shirai whispered, nodding with approval.

"There's so many of them…" Shinobu whispered, surprised and awed at the display of strength and power.

"War? What war? Has the emperor finally decided to attack the Kamakura bakufu?" Naru asked, not expecting any answer as she watched the long parade of armed imperial samurais with dread.

Motoko was leaning out of the rickshaw with a grim look on her face, "This is not good…"

Kaolla jumped on Keitaro's shoulders and watched open mouthed, enthralled at the scene before her.

Keitaro nodded, "You're right Aoyoma-san… this is not good at all…"

They have finally arrived at the imperial castle.

---

Yoritsugu Fujiwara, shogun of Japan and military dictator of the Kamakura Bakufu, was not pleased. He was not pleased at all. In fact, he was terribly worried.

But he kept his face passive. His right hand under his chin, sitting calmly on a soft cushion in front of his selected liege lords, advisers, representatives of the Hojo regency and two black-clothed samurais kneeling before him.

Yoritsugu sighed and digested the information given to him.

It wasn't pleasant at all.

"So…" The shogun finally started after a long while, speaking with deliberate slowness, "You're telling me that the emperor has dispatched ten thousand samurais… any ideas where they are going?"

One of the kneeling samurais bowed low before speaking, keeping his eyes on the floor, "My lord, they seem to head towards the southern route,"

There was a moment of silence.

One of the advisers grunted and spoke harshly, "It could be a trap,"

Yoritsugu regarded the adviser with a nod and said, "It could be. But the emperor is not stupid. He will not send a third of his army away from his citadel just to catch _me_ off guard. No… that's not it at all…"

_Because the truth is that the emperor would rather attack me right in the face without hesitation. Sending this much soldiers away from an enemy is either a sign of lunacy or stupidity._

"And you're telling me that Seta Norieyasu is currently meeting with the emperor…" The shogun continued, "How about the Konnos… are the Konnos in the meeting too?"

The two samurais nodded, "Yes my lord,"

_If the emperor is planning to attack me, he would use Seta or one of the Konno generals to lead this battalion. Why let ten thousand men out of the castle without strong leadership? Not unless they are grouping at a different place… but where? Then the target might not be me after all. But who? Something's going on. Something's happening and I am not even aware of it. I need to know more._

The shogun stood and without pause, ignoring the bowed heads before him, walked towards the door, followed closely by his personal guards.

_There's only one person who can answer my question. What in Kami's name is going on?_

---

"Is this a threat to me, my clan and the shogunate?"

The old woman sighed. Her deep slumber has been disrupted by an uncouth behaviour. She sighed again as she shifted lightly on her comfortable bed. Sniffing for the pleasant smell of perfumed candle smoke, she faced the source of the cold voice.

She answered without opening her eyes, "I've been waiting for you to ask me this question for a long while now…"

The shogun grunted.

"No. At the moment there is no threat to you, your clan and the shogunate. But there is one greater peril looming on the horizon…"

The shogun paused and whispered, "Peril… what peril grandmother?"

The old woman smiled.

To be called grandmother by a stranger has always made her feel calm. Her family has been destroyed by fear and greed of the royal family, as her surviving relatives scattered all over Japan not knowing whether she would ever hear her grandchildren say the very words she has been wanting to hear for a long time.

"There is a menace coming from the sea… the emperor had seen it. And tonight he will receive the proof he needs. This is a dark age for Japan…"

The shogun nodded. He made a decision.

"Send a message to the Hojo regency," Yoritsugu turned to one of his personal guard, "I want fifteen thousand samurais ready… I want all of my generals here tonight or tomorrow, abandon all plans…"

"Yes my lord," The samurai bowed then disappeared.

"I give my sincerest appreciation grandmother," The shogun bowed to the old lady then disappeared to a secret door.

Then silence.

The cold evening wind breezed through the small hut.

The old woman was silent for a moment before gently asking, "Are you there my child?"

There was a momentary scuffle in the dark.

Then a shadow loomed behind the old woman and whispered, "I'm here grandma Hina…"

The old woman smiled, "Have you seen him?"

"Yes. He has arrived at the imperial castle late this afternoon,"

"Good… I want you to stay with him Kanako-chan. He will need you now more than ever…"

A pause.

The old woman sighed.

The gift of wisdom and prophecy were both a blessing and a curse. The talents and abilities running through her blood had destroyed her entire family. Although she felt no anger or hatred for she had seen the future, she felt sadness. She would die soon but she would need to fulfil one last task as what was seen.

The second would be awakened soon.

She needs to prepare him.

And he would come.

"Kanako-chan… hear me please… my child… what ever happen, do not be afraid... for in seven hundred years you will live and you shall meet him again. You will love him as you loved him now… and you will be closer to him than you'll ever have been for the past previous lives you have lived… the day your ancestor, the first Kanako met our ancestor… the first… Keitaro Urashima..."

The shadow bowed for the last time and left.

Leaving a teardrop on the floor.

The old woman returned to her deep slumber.

She dreamed of the future. She dreamed of marvellous creations man would invent. She dreamed of places that would grow, of habitats as high as a tree. She dreamed of a place she would live into, a tall house with so many rooms, at the top of a hill with a magnificent ocean view, of people she would meet, of a happy bonding she would form. She dreamed of a family she did not have now but would have in the next seven hundred years.

She dreamed of a quiet small village they call… the Hinata.

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I'm sorry for the delay! And yep… something's cooking! It's about to happen! I gave enough clues in here for you to understand the significance of each character. I tried my best to connect the story to the original series. So atleast this way you'd be able to relate that this is not a completely separate story. Ever heard of past lives? Weird huh! But I guess… I am weird.

Thanks to all the reviewers. And some of you have very nice ideas as to how the story should go… thanks for that although I'll try my best not to disappoint all of you. And because you all keep on reminding me of Love Hina characters, I managed to include them in this weird history of mine. Thanks for that! I just hope you stay long enough to see what would happen in the end!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	8. viii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**VIII**

---

The atmosphere was suddenly heavy.

The first thing that Motoko noticed upon entering the great battlements of the imperial castle was the number of fully armed and armoured imperial samurais that lined the fortified walls. She has heard of the emperor's increasing army but she never thought it would be this… overwhelming.

Because after the Jokyu disturbance, the battle between the imperial loyalists led by the retired emperor Go-Toba and the Kamakura bakufu under the leadership of soon to become shogunate regent Yasutoki Hojo, the imperial family has been confined to the castle with a small number of retinues and an edict never to recruit more samurais. But after years of bitter divergence of liege lords of influential clans and daimyos of prosperous lands with the extremists Kamakura shogunate, the royal court has once again gained allegiance among the oppressed and the disagreeable, uniting them into one formidable army.

And with infamous generals like Seta Norieyasu and prominent clans like the Konnos and the Aoyomas, the shogunate never dared to challenge thegrowing threat and pushed the conflict between the Kamakura bakufu and the imperial family into a long standing stalemate.

That's why Motoko could understand the cold and intense glares she received from the imperial samurais, for there isn't a day the royal court didn't worry of a sudden attack by the Kamakura shogunate. Everyone was simply expecting the shogun to break the ice and charge the castle any time soon.

Motoko gripped her sword, trying her best not to stumble despite her obvious pain.

She decided to leave the comfort of her rickshaw, ignoring the worried looks her fellow travellers gave her, especially from her rickshaw puller, the worst than a beggar looking butextraordinary warrior named Keitaro.

Motoko hid her smile when Keitaro just stared at her for a moment when she stepped out of the rickshaw to walk and nodded with a disapproving frown before looking away.

_I will not show weakness! _Motoko thought as their party walked closer to the magnificent structure in the middle of the heavily guarded embattlements.

And upon stepping into the first gate that would lead deeper into the maze of paths and forts they were challenged by ten imperial samurais. Their faces grim and their hands on the hilt of their swords ready to strike at any body at any time.

A stocky old samurai with a scarred face that perpetuate an infernal snarl shouted, "Who are you and what business do you have with the imperial family?"

Shirai, who has led them and their fifty samurais, approached the older samurai and replied curtly, "We comewith the behest of the emperor and the advisor Narusegawa,"

At that moment, Naru stepped forward, her head held high glaring the ten challenging samurais.

Then moving as one, the challenging samuraisknelt on one knee with their right fist touching the ground and said, "Welcome back my lady…"

Naru ignored the samurais' recognition and walked gracefully towards the castle, the others following closely behind her.

Then chaos ensued.

With a practiced flow of movements, swords suddenly flashed into the darkening gate followed by a strong clang of metals that rang through the suddenly quiet surrounding.

Motoko wheeled around, her sword out of the sheath, trying to assess what was happening. Mitsune screamed with alarm, while Shinobu fainted and was caught by Kaolla who looked at the incident unfolding before them with great anxiety. Naru, forgetting all royal etiquette and protocols ran back, shouting, "Stop this… stop this right now!"

The challenging samurais have encircled a prey.

A prey who managed to block four swords with the hilt and blade of his short sword held by his right hand, while his left arm stretched just above his neck blocking another sword that was intended to cut his neck. Blood was flowing from his left arm, but his face showed neither fear nor pain.

Keitaro held the concerted surprise attack at bay.

Just barely.

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Naru shouted again as she approached the seemingly frozen engagement.

All the challenging samurais were stunned and there was a sign of recognition on their faces. They recognized the skills and bravery. And to see it upfront from a person they deemed lesser than dirt on the road was something they were not prepared for.

"I SAID STOP THIS RIGHT NOW! WITHDRAW YOUR SWORDS OR I WILL-"

"I do not mean to be rude my lady… but it is writtenin the halls of the imperial edict that any slaves or peasants who dare step past the first gate would face quick execution," The older samurai said calmly eyeing Keitaro with interest, his hands tucked behind him. The four remaining samurais were waiting for the order to draw their swords but they were confused as the others to see the capablities of their target.

They simply didn't expect Keitaroto defend himself.

"HE IS NOT A SLAVE HE IS-"

"He's a retinue… my retinue…" Motoko joined the confrontation, her sword dangerously high, daring everybody to make the situation worst.

The older samurai raised an eyebrow.

Then he grunted and nodded.

The swords were withdrawn and sheathed.

Keitaro kept his blade on his right hand.

"I can let him live but I won't let him inside the sacred halls of the imperial family… I simply cannot let the halls befouled by a dog that he is…"

"What-" Motoko shook with anger and was about to slay the older samurai when Keitaro cheerfully answered.

"Fine with me!"

"WHAT?" This time Motoko directed her attention towards Keitaro with an incredulous bewildered look.

"As I told you before… I have no intention at seeing the emperor at the moment… I think it would be best if you all meet him now… it would be dark soon," Keitaro said with a smile while tending the deep wound on his left arm.

"But-"

"We better go…" Naru said as she grabbed Motoko's hand and literally dragged her towards the castle.

_That idiot!_

---

"That idiot! He shouldn't have let that old samurai insult him like that! It's as if he didn't do anything for us! FOR KAMI'S SAKE HE SAVED ALL OF US! That idiot! That-" Mitsune fumed, looking back at Keitaro's form as they walked closer towards the castle doors.

"That idiot just saved us again," Naru said grudgingly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He knew that he won't be allowed inside the castle but we are bound by honour to fight to show that he has the right. We hired him which means he's one of our retinues now… and because he let that insult pass he saved us time and unnecessary bloodshed…" Naru answered, learning to respect the young man, with a growing sense of affection she could not control.

"That's right… by sacrificing his honour and self-worth in the eyes of the samurais, he freed us the obligation to draw blood for the insult that would be directed to us if he thought otherwise. It was a…" Motoko gave Keitaro a fleeting look before facing forward again, "… very wise decision… he's much more intelligent than we give him credit for…"

"Idiot…" Mitsune mumbled.

"Sempai…" Shinobu whispered in her sleep as she was carried by Haitani.

"Alright everyone… remember who you are and what your clan has taught you about meeting the emperor of Japan!" Shirai announced as he pushed the massive heavily painted wooden door open, "HERE WE GO!"

---

Kameyama, the emperor of Japan, land of the Gods, stood by the window and watched the wide stretch of trees.

Like the other emperors who came before him, he was chosen to take the prestigious seat at a very young age. He was chosen because of what flows in his blood, the royalty that went back to the very first rulers of ancient Japan. He was nothing more than a figure head for the generals, advisors and imperial council, consisted of older relatives and past emperors.

But not tonight.

Tonight he would face his advisors and generals with courage and passion that was uncommon and unexpected from him. It was written that the sons of heaven should never mingle with mortals' worries and politics. He would break that rule.

Tonight he would make a decision that would save Japan from a real threat. A threat that was dismissed by the members of the royal courts especially the house officials who thought that such was non-existent and does not warrant attention.

A sigh.

A shadow loomed from the corner of the dark room that has the window open, letting the crimson light flow inside as the sun sets behind the mountains.

"You know I will always follow any thing that you request… and you know that I believe you… but ten thousand samurais sent away from the castle without the approval of the imperial council would require a very lengthy explanation,"

"Do not worry too much Seta-san… my proof is coming… soon," Kameyama calmly answered.

Then the doors opened.

"Your highness, I have a samurai who wants to give you a personal message from the Aoyoma clan," a servant announced then let two figures inside the vast room.

Seta raised an eyebrow and grunted.

The visitors knelt on the floor and said, "Your highness… my name is Motoko Aoyoma from the Aoyoma clan… I bring you a personal message from the head of our clan... Tsuruko Aoyoma,"

"Tsuruko? The mighty warrior of the southern village?" Seta faced the emperor and bowed, "I apologize for doubting you your highness… I should be with my men now… we will reach Aoyoma's village in four days. I hope that this would give my men a reasonable amount of action that they crave for a long time,"

"Make it in three days Seta-san and you will find yourself deep in it… otherwise…"

Seta smiled and proceeded towards the door but as he passed Motoko's kneeling form he whispered, "It's nice to see you again Motoko-chan, you have grown into a beautiful warrior just like your elder sister," then he left.

Motoko blushed.

Fora moment nobody spoke.

"Now tell me Aoyoma-san… where is this message?" The emperor asked.

Motoko slowly stood and handed the roll of parchment with a ceremonious bow.

The emperor nodded then gestured towards the door, "I want you to walk with me to another hall where the advisors and other generals are currently waiting… I presume that you have… a proof with you?"

Motoko nodded and raised her hand towards her cloaked companion.

The emperor mused and said, "Interesting… shall we go then? We don't have much time…"

---

Keitaro was sitting on a rock close to the first gate. He managed to stop the bleeding in his left arm and with an amused smile he looked around and observed the five gloomy samurais guarding him.

Then he shook his head to display his lack of concern and kept himself busy.

Then all of a sudden a pain shot right through his head as he reeled off the rock and fell heavily on the dusty ground.

Looking up through the blinding stars of pain, he found himselfstaring at a little girl with a big rock held firmly by her little hands, with a smirk etched across her face.

For a moment, Keitaro shivered.

"Er… didn't your mother tell you that it's not nice to throw big rocksat strangers?" Keitaro mumbled.

"Who are you to tell me what my mother said?" The girl said with a defiant tone and threw the big rockat Keitaro hitting him squarely on the face.

"OW!"

"What are you doing Sara-chan?"

Keitaro looked up again and found another youngster standing before him. This time it was a boy. He looked as young as Shinobu.

"I'm just teaching this slave over here the art of catching a rock," The little girl named Sara answered with a huff.

"Don't be silly… there is no such thing as an art of catching a rock?"

The samurais who watched the whole scene laughed with amusement as the two child went on arguing.

Keitaro composed himself and retied the loosened clothing he has on his left arm.

"Is that you uncle Keitaro?"

"Huh?"

Looking down Keitaro realised that he was looking at a familiar face, the kind smiling face of the boy. His eyes glittering with excitement and happiness. The body was trying hard not to jump with glee in front of the samurais.

"Is that really you uncle Keitaro?"

Keitaro knelt and smiled, "How are you Uda-kun?"

The boy smiled even wider, "It is you uncle Keitaro!"

"You've grown taller…" Keitaro brushed the boy's hair, "How is the future emperor of Japan doing?"

"I'm okay… so… are you planning to stay with us for good now?"

"Er… well… your uncle and I have a lot to talk about… but well… I don't want to disturb him now… so…"

"You know this slave?" the little girl interjected with the same defiant tone, "I can't believe you're talking to a filthy slave like him…"

The boy almost screamed with dignity, "Don't talk to him like that! He's not a slave… he's a prince!"

---

They called her Lady Yuki.

She stood at the helm of the massive wooden ship giving the captain instructions every now and then. The darkness of the sea did nothing to stop their voyage or her accurate bearings. And soon enough they could see several dots of light that indicate shelters. It indicates that land was not far ahead.

They would soon land on Japan.

And it's all because of Lady Yuki.

The only woman on board the ship filled with ferocious warriors of mixed origins, Koreans, Chinese and Mongolians.

But like her name, Lady Yuki was the most dangerous and most ruthless warrior among them.

Men feared her. The Mongolian emperor worshipped her.

Her face was covered with brown cloth, her body underneath a long robe that hid two long swords that she was widely known for. No one could gauge her mood except for her cold brown eyes that rumour said could kill any living man.

She was a menace on her own.

For she has hatred colder than the deep pit of the sea and vengeance that even the heavens could not stop.

And with her were the Mongols.

The Mongols were coming.

_"I'm coming home Mother Hina…your prodigal daughter has finally arrived!"_

_

* * *

_

Hei there guys and gals! How's it going? I hope everybody have a slight idea of what's going on. I presented enough clues for you to just imagine what this story is all about! Well… just hang around longer and you'll see what I mean!

I'd like to extend my deep appreciation to those who are kind enough to leave a note and express what they think of the story. I hope you stay long enough to see what would happen. Thank you again!

Catch u later! Cheers!

nivremous


	9. ix

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**IX**

---

A stunned silence permeated the vast magnificence of the imperial convention hall.

The collected advisors and liege lords of the ruling imperial family were grouped into two different factions, sitting on their cushions, facing each other with similar expressions.

Not long ago the imperial line was officially divided into two branches, the juniors and the seniors. This decision has been approved unappreciatively by the Kamakura bakufu to curb the almost continuous political in-fighting over succession issues. So many emperors were either evicted or murdered as relatives of various imperial bloodlines fought for the right to rule as the next emperor of Japan.

And now, at this dire and urgent times, Kameyama has managed to convince even the most disapproving and bitter relatives of both factions, to be present at this gathering.

And their reaction has surpassed all of Kameyama's expectations.

For the source of this unbelievable astonishment that has momentarily quelled the extreme hatred between bloodlines was standing in the middle of the cavernous hall.

And it wasn't because of the shimmering shoulder length golden hair.

Nor was it her glowing smooth silky brown skin.

Nor was it her slim and well built body under her strange foreign clothing.

Nor was it her red cheeked stunning beauty with matching green round eyes like rare sapphire jewel.

It was her calming presence.

It was her presence that drew attention… devotion.

Everyone was holding their breath as they anticipated their guest to speak, expecting her voice to be as soothing as her gentle facade. And so they waited… patiently and willingly.

Kameyama was smiling as he watched his congregated relatives fell into a trance, giving his guest, a very useful and effective gift from Tsuruko, a fleeting glance. He had surmised that Tsuruko knew it would be very difficult for him to convince the imperial advisors and liege lords to take the threat of the Mongol invasion seriously without any seemingly magical assistance. And for the eighth time that night, Kameyama whispered a quiet appreciative prayer for Tsuruko's guile and wisdom.

And sitting next to Kameyama was a collection of confused and dazed women completely separated from the imperial factions.

Naru whispered, "Is that…"

"I believe it is the same Kaolla Su that has travelled with me since we left our village," Motoko finished with a controlled breathing, fighting hard to keep her face straight and impassive.

Shinobu was staring wide-eyed and open mouthed, "I don't understand… I have never seen anything like this…"

Mitsune has a confused frown etched on her face, her right hand on her chin, almost completely convinced that what she was witnessing right now was an elaborate prank, "BY KAMI! NOBODY HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS!"

"Well… I've had my share of seeing odd and stranger things when I was assisting my parents, treating patients, visiting the sick and the like… but not something like this… I mean… how could Kaolla-chan grow up so fast? She's so… so…"

"She's so stunningly beautiful," Mitsune nodded with a blush.

"No… she has become…"

"She has become into a fine… very fine looking woman," Motoko finally admitted.

"There's no arguing that!" Kameyama nodded approvingly.

Then Motoko turned towards the emperor and bowed low, pushing her head on to the tatami floor and said, "I apologize for this unexpected turn of events… I did not realise that she would-,"

The emperor shook his head with a smile and replied, "Motoko-san… you need not apologize for this… I was expecting this from Tsuruko-san… but I didn't expect that she would send her own younger sister…"

"Her own younger sister?"

Kameyama smiled, "Amalla… Kaolla-san's Amalla's younger sister… it seems Amalla and Tsuruko have kept in touch all these years… and they knew all along that we would need help… Amalla must have seen it and Tsuruko had anticipated it… Japan has been saved by the incredible instincts of women living thousands of miles apart… simply incredible…"

Naru settled herself beside the emperor and bowed, "My lord… would you be so kind as to help us understand…"

The emperor nodded, "Seta… Tsuruko… Amalla… when we were young we used to play at the temple of the Gods at the northern mountains. The future of Japan is nothing more than a fantasy on our minds… we never thought that we would spend our intertwined lives protecting this land of Gods…"

Motoko bowed, "My lord… it seems to me that you knew my elder sister very well…"

Kameyama smiled, "We all have skills unique to each one of us… skills that have been passed down… bloodlines untainted… directly from ancestors who helped shape Japan to what it is now… like Kaolla," Lifting a hand towards the woman in the middle of the room, "Amalla has the skill to shift her body to calm her audience…"

"Is it sorcery?"

"No… it is in her blood… just like you, Motoko-san… Tsuruko and her use of ki through her sword… Seta and his brute strength, strategic mind… and…" Kameyama's eyes darkened and trembled lightly, "Haruka… Haruka and her foreseeing eyes… those beautiful brown eyes…"

"Haruka?"

Kameyama smiled again, composed himself quickly and glanced towards Motoko, "A friend… one of us… one I consider the most gentle and kind person I have ever met… she has the incredible gift of seeing the future… Haruka-chan has once predicted that I would become the emperor of Japan…"

"Haruka… what… what happened to her my lord?"

Kameyama looked away, "A tragedy no one could have seen except her… but…" then sighed and faced Motoko with another beaming smile, "But that's another story for another time Motoko-san… you are indeed like you sister… very inquisitive!"

Motoko blushed, bowed and whispered, "I apologize, my lord, if I seem to be intrusive… I did not mean to be rude…"

"No you're not Motoko-san… no you're not…"

_I missed her… I missed her so much._

---

And Kaolla spoke.

She spoke of an evil that would swarm from beyond the Chine Sea. An evil that would burn and pillage their houses, destroy their crops and kill those who dare oppose the rampage.

She spoke of a possible future where their way of life would be nothing more but a distant memory. A possible future ruled by a different emperor, a different imperial family, a land in the hands of a foreign empire.

And they listened to her.

And for the first time… they all feared for their lives.

They all feared for Japan.

They all feared that the Mongols would come… soon.

---

"Kaolla-chan you surprised me!" Shinobu said with a smile as they all left the convention hall towards another well decorated wide room led by the emperor.

Kaolla Su, who, to another astonishment of her companions, changed back to her younger, livelier form, as she started jumping around the corridor with a carefree smile plastered across her face.

Naru was very confused, "Kaolla-chan… how do you do it? How could you easily change into an adult form?"

Kaolla glanced towards Naru with a silly smile, "I dunno… I just do it… but changing into an adult form is very taxing… I mean… I get tired very easily…" and with another jump she raced towards the door held open by a servant.

Mitsune shook her head, "Well… if you think that's tired for her… I could only imagine what it would be like if she's NOT tired… she would probably start hanging on to your neck asking you to play with her…" shivered, "that would be very exhausting on OUR part,"

Motoko walked past the three, "Atleast we managed to convince the advisors and liege lords that the Mongols are coming… and now they will start arming themselves and evacuating villagers close to the coastline of China Sea… I should prepare to leave as well… I need to return to my village as soon as possible and-,"

"Not quite yet Motoko-san," The emperor announced as soon as they entered the room.

"Huh?"

"I have a very important task for you…"

"A… task?"

Shinobu and Kaolla settled by the wide window that oversees the forest trees beyond west. Naru and Mitsune sat on cushions lying on the floor close by a well painted wall.

And then suddenly the door opened once more.

A boy entered the room, followed closely by a little girl, and towed in his little hand was a man.

Everybody gasped.

"Look who I found father!" the boy said with delight.

"KEITARO!" the women shouted in unison.

"Keitaro?" the emperor whispered as he stood in his own surprise.

Naru stood and ran quickly between Keitaro and the emperor, "My lord! I apologize for this… this man… this… this man…"

Motoko did the same. She bowed deeply before the emperor, "My lord! Please do not be offended by this slave's presence inside the sacred halls of the imperial family… he is our retinue and he does not mean to be rude. He must have lost his way looking for food or for payment… he is quite mad my lord… please… please I ask for your kindness… be gentle with this slave's punishment…"

And for a moment nobody spoke.

The wind breezing through the halls as the night grew older.

Then a grunt.

The emperor was not impressed.

There was an angry scowl etched across his face. His intense glare towards Keitaro made Shinobu shook with fear for her sempai's life.

"A slave?" the emperor spoke through gritted teeth, "Rags… for your clothing?"

Keitaro bowed.

The emperor turned his glare towards the women and shouted, "This man is not a slave. This man is my younger brother!"

A collective shout, "WHAT!"

Then the emperor walked towards Keitaro and shouted, "What in Kami's name are you doing Keitaro-kun? Have you forgotten who you are?" pointing at the clothes, he continued, "And what's this? Rags? And what happened to you? Your left arm is bleeding?"

Keitaro smiled sheepishly and bowed again, "I apologize, my lord,"

The emperor shook his head, "COME WITH ME!" then he turned towards a servant, "I WANT A DOCTOR RIGHT NOW!"

And without another word, ignoring the open-mouthed dumbfounded look of everyone present at the room, Keitaro and the emperor walked towards another room.

---

It was a long while before anybody moved.

And it was Naru who made the first step. Shaking her head, hoping that all the events that have happened a moment ago was nothing more than a bad dream. But she knew that it wasn't.

And what made her feel even worst was that all those times they have been travelling together she was hoping desperately that Keitaro would be a well placed connected man, a man of power and of privilege. And whatever feelings she has felt before no matter how hard she tried to ignore it due to Keitaro being a slave and a beggar, has now only increased a thousand fold.

"Then that would mean… Keitaro's a prince?" Mitsune asked the obvious as she tried to grasp the reality that slapped her like a new born baby.

"By Kami… by Kami…" Motoko said as she tried to accept the impossible.

"Sempai's a prince!" Shinobu giggled.

Kaolla kept herself busy by tying her loosened foot wear humming carelessly at the background, whispered, "Yep… that's Keitaro-kun for you!"

Then Naru stood and walked towards the room where Keitaro and the emperor entered. Motoko placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Naru-san… I don't think it's proper to intrude…"

Naru only glanced at Motoko for moment before shrugging the hand away.

And five steps away from the door, she heard the emperor screaming.

"WHAT IN KAMI'S NAME ARE YOU DOING KEITARO-KUN? HAVE YOU TRULY FORGOTTEN WHO YOU ARE? IS THIS WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS?"

Silence.

Naru edged herself closer to the door. Knelt on the floor and listened.

---

"AND ALL OF THESE WOMEN THOUGHT YOU ARE A SLAVE! I CANNOT HAVE IT LIKE THIS! I WILL EXECUTE ALL OF THEM AND I-," the emperor was shaking with anger.

"You will do no such thing Kameyama…" Keitaro answered calmly.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I WILL LET IT PASS? YOU ARE A GO! YOU ARE PART OF THE HONOURABLE IMPERIAL LINE! ANYONE… ANYONE WHO DARE INSULT A GO WILL DIE!"

"They did not insult me… and I have never told them who I am… and I'm sorry to say this… but… I am not a Go… no matter what you do or anybody does… I am not part of your family… I will never be part of your family,"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU WERE SELECTED TO BECOME THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN! IF YOU HAVEN'T DISAPPEARED TWO YEARS AGO YOU SHOULD BE SEATING AT THE THRONE RIGHT THIS MOMENT!"

"I'm sorry Kameyama but I do not have the blood of Go… you have it which makes you the rightful emperor… not me…"

"BUT YOU HAVE THE HEART! THE STRENGTH!"

The emperor shook his head again trying to compose himself.

"My existence will destroy your family Kameyama… someone knew who I really am… that I'm nothing more than an orphan… a boy destined to die but was saved by the kindness of our late father… Saga-sama… your brother Fukakusa would be extremely disappointed if he ever discovered that an impostor has taken the throne…"

Kameyama walked towards Keitaro and whispered, "Fukakusa is an idiot. He abdicated the throne because he felt that he couldn't do anything to save Japan. He has given up all hope of taking the power from the Kamakura bakufu. But you… father wanted you to become the emperor because he knew that you'd be able to regain the honour that the imperial line has lost against the might of the Kamakura shogunate…"

Then Keitaro smiled, "But you have done so well Kameyama… you managed to gather an army that was supposed to be completely controlled by the Kamakura bakufu… you put fear into the hearts of the shogunate generals and more importantly the Hojo regents!"

Kameyama shrugged the compliment off and walked towards an open window.

Silence.

A breeze of cold night wind.

"Why did you run away Keitaro?"

A momentary pause.

"I did not run away Kameyama…"

"Then what did you do Keitaro? Tell me… why did you disappear from us? Did we do anything to displease you? Ever since the night father died… you just disappeared… without even a single word,"

Keitaro sighed.

"Saga-sama was the kindest man I have ever met Kameyama… I owed him my life… and I… I killed him… and I can't live with that…"

Kameyama shook his head with anger, "For two years… for two long years you still blame yourself for something you haven't done nor could have stopped… he was assassinated because of the bloodline conflict… he was assassinated by his own relatives!"

Keitaro shook his head, "No… Saga-sama should have lived if I haven't asked him to meet me at the temple of the Gods… if only I asked him to stay that night… he would have lived… I sent him to his death Kameyama…"

Keitaro shivered.

Kameyama became silent.

"There's nothing you could have done to prevent his death Keitaro… Kami has already decided his fate… and no matter what would have happened… he would still be killed… and his death is important, because of this… his line was ensured… the idiocy of royal blood lust… it's nothing more than legalized murder…"

Keitaro turned towards Kameyama, his sad eyes begging him to understand, "I just wanted to know who I really am Kameyama… I just wanted to know where I came from… and… and Saga-sama was supposed to tell me everything that night at the temple of the Gods… and…"

Kameyama nodded, "And his last words… what were his last words to you?"

"Hina… that's what he told me that night… as I cradled him dying in my arms, while he gasped for air… he told me one word… and that was… Hina… then he died… for two long years I searched for an answer and I couldn't find anything… I don't even know what it is… a name? A village? A place? It doesn't make any sense…"

"You are carrying a guilt that was not yours to carry alone Keitaro…"

"I just wanted to know… who I really am… and I killed him…"

Then suddenly the doors opened and Naru came running towards Keitaro. And with one movement she wrapped her arms around Keitaro. She held pressed herself against him. Her softness engulfing him.

Then Keitaro cried.

_I'm sorry Keitaro… your guilt is my fault._

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! How you all doing? This is just a filler chapter… I have included some bits and pieces for you to hang on with the story and I guess you're pretty confused as to what in the world is going on… right? Well… I tell you they are interconnected somehow, there is a bigger mystery coming your way… well the royal court is always ingrained with scandalous mysteries … and as I said… I'll leave no character out of this story.

Thank you so much for those who are kind enough to leave a note of what they think about the story! And I hope I don't disappoint you! And I guess this time it'll be a longer story for everyone to enjoy!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	10. x

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**X**

---

"What do we know?" the shogun's voice thundered across the hall.

He walked towards the room where he has gathered all his generals and advisors, followed closely behind by his spies and personal servants. His face taut with seriousness and his stride was both urgent and purposeful.

One of the spies dressed in black kimono answered, "My lord, Seta Norieyasu has joined his men and they are heading towards Aoyoma village,"

The shogun hid his surprise, his features darkened, "That's the village that guards the China Sea. Is it not?"

"Yes my lord,"

"What is the condition of Aoyoma's samurais?"

"My lord, Tsuruko Aoyoma has five hundred retinues… I received reports this afternoon that she has started sending boatmen at a nearby island two days ago… Iki Island, I believe, my lord,"

_Very clever and very generous of you to do so Tsuruko… but the question is… how long can you hold the onslaught? Even with the gift of a powerful secret sword arts technique you cannot fully defend your village against the rampage of the barbarians!_

"How far is Seta's army from Aoyoma's village?"

"Four to five days travel at the most, my lord,"

_She might not hold long enough._

_By then… it might all be too late._

The shogun paused momentarily then with a hiss he slammed the doors open, causing everybody inside the room to stare at him curiously. The generals and the advisors were all seated calmly at their cushions that lined the well decorated walls.

"Who amongst you have an army ready for battle?" the shogun started.

For a while nobody spoke.

The cold wind of the night breezed through the shogunate castle.

Then a young man stood.

His face covered with bandages, his right arm on a wooden sling, he struggled not to fall, kept his head high, full of pride. All the other generals turned to look at him and most were frowning at his audacity to blindly accept a responsibility he does not know.

"I have my soldiers ready at the southern villages my lord,"

The shogun nodded, "How long will it take you to reach Aoyoma's village?"

The young man could not hide his astonishment. His mouth opened then closed, stopping himself from retorting a disrespectful reply. There was an extreme disappointment on his face. But he knew he could not draw back now that he has accepted the duty.

"Three… no… four days, my lord…"

"Very well… I want you to be on that village in three days,"

The young man bowed, conceded, choosing honour before personal hatred, "Yes, my lord,"

The shogun proceeded to sit at his cushion as the young man prepared to leave.

The shogun paused and looked up, "By the way… what is your name again?"

The young man turned and bowed, "Kentaro Sakata, my lord,"

"Kentaro Sakata… if you made it in three days… Japan will forever be in your debt… these are grave times... you will assist Aoyoma when the time comes... understand?"

"Yes, my lord,"

The shogun then turned towards his generals and spoke with strained determination, "My lords… Japan… our beloved land… is under a great Mongol invasion,"

---

A lone samurai, wearing full body armour, a small banner attached on a thin bamboo pole at his back, was riding through the procession of marching imperial samurais, his horse covered with dried sweat, its mouth dribbling.

The imperial samurais made way; they parted to let therider through, seeing the urgency and the haste to reach its destination. But what made them stop from inquiring was the fear visible on the rider's eyes. And in his wake, the imperial samurais felt even more determined to reach Aoyoma's village as soon as possible.

And after a few moments the riding samurai finally saw him.

He tore through the collected horsemen and quickly bowed, "My lord, forgive my rudeness…"

Seta looked up, glanced at the banner and said, "A message from Tsuruko, I presume… how is everything in there?"

The samurai bowed again before speaking, "The Mongols have ransacked the villages of Komota Island…"

There was a momentary pause. The samurais close enough to hear the news gasped with astonishment, andsome of themgripped their swords, whispering vengeance to the barbarity of the foreign invaders.

Seta kept his face impassive, "How long has it been?"

"I've been riding for two days, my lord, without sleep or rest," The rider spoke again with controlled breathing, "When I left our village, our daimyo, Tsuruko-sama has sent boatmen to Iki Island in an attempt to save the villagers…"

"That is very kind of Tsuruko to do so..." Seta turned to his samurais and shouted with urgency, "Anyone who's riding will accompany this messenger back to Aoyoma's village," then he turned to the rider again, "Alright… you lead the way… these horsemen will follow you and will join your samurais once you get there… take them to Tsuruko and ride… we will join you as soon as we can..."

The rider bowed again, "We are in your debt, my lord,"

Then without another word, the rider turned and rode his horse away from the marching army, followed closely by samurai horsemen.

Seta shouted, "RIDE… RIDE LIKE THE WIND!"

_Just hold on Tsuruko. We'll join you soon enough._

---

"Madam!" a man dripping wet with sea water, his face a mask of fear, shivered, "We… we managed to rescue a number of the Iki villagers ashore but…"

Tsuruko turned towards the man, her face impassive.

"But… I don't think we could return for more… I don't think we could return to the island again…" the man bowed, ashamed at his defeat.

Tsuruko nodded.

"The Mongols… the Mongols burned Iki village to the ground… the whole island is burning… they destroyed everything… I apologize, madam,"

"No… there is nothing you can do… the Mongol ships are faster than our boats… it is by Kami's fortune that we managed to save some of the Iki villagers. We should atleast be grateful with that,"

The boatman bowed again then left the room.

Tsuruko, alone inside the cavernous hall, sighed. She buried her face between her hands and lightly cried. She could not stop the feeling of defeat looming over her mind, that constant trepidation that her village might not survive this attack at all. The weight of her responsibility never felt heavier.

It was so hard to be alone.

The wind seemed colder.

There were three islands between China and Japan, sitting in the middle of the China Sea. The first and second island was ashore of each other, Tsushima at the north and Komota at the south. And not far away was Iki Island.

The Mongols first reached Komota Island four days before and they savagely pillaged the villages. The reports were very alarming. Villagers from the island, who managed to escape, confirmed the overwhelming number of ships the Mongols have. And what worried Tsuruko was the amount of artillery the Mongols has brought with them to invade Japan.

Explosives and tubes of metals, the kind of weapons Tsuruko has only heard of but have never seen before.

And upon hearing this, Tsuruko never wasted time, shebegan sending boatmen to rescue the villagers of Iki Island. It took them two days. But it was not enough. The Mongols has finally arrived at Iki Island.

It was only a matter of time before the Mongols regroup themselves and finally assault Japanese mainland.

And Aoyoma village, her village, would be the first to carry the brunt of the assault.

Then she heard a soft knock.

Tsuruko quickly composed herself.

A tall armoured woman entered the room. Her sword dangling on her side, her face gentle but her eyes were cold. Her eyes spoke of inevitable battle.

"We are awaiting orders, my lady,"

Tsuruko turned towards the woman and smiled.

"Have we evacuated everyone?"

"Yes, my lady… the children and the elders have been taken to a forest nearby…"

Tsuruko nodded.

A momentary pause.

Then Tsuruko smiled again, "How many can fully practise the secret sword arts technique, Ryoma-chan?"

The woman's face remained emotionless, "Twenty at the most… a hundred more are merely apprentices… and ofcourse we have the men… who are nothing more than fodder to the beasts… they could hold the first wave of attack I suppose… assuming that the Mongols would be attacking up front, by the beach,"

Tsuruko looked away and stared at the window, "That's what I'm concerned about… we don't have enough to guard the whole coastline stretch…"

"We just have to do our best, my lady,"

"Quite true… but we need to be very careful… I suggest that we group ourselves tightly together rather than spreading ourselves thin… atleast this way we may hold the attack long enough…"

"Will we receive assistance, my lady?"

Tsuruko faced the woman, "Yes… I have sent a rider two days ago to meet with any army on their way here… I am confident that the emperor would send help… I'm just not sure how long will it take them to reach our village…"

"Then we just have to hold long enough, my lady…"

"Yes… we just have to hold long enough,"

_Motoko-chan! Please come back soon!_

---

Motoko was annoyed.

It seemed all the samurais were marching to a battle that would forever be part of Japanese history, everybody except her.

And what made it worst was that she was travelling the opposite direction. She was travelling 'away' from the battle. And she sorely wanted to be part of this war, a war that would change their lives.

Because this time they were not fighting one another, for once, they were fighting together as one, fighting a common enemy, a common threat. And such was what a samurai lived for.

Motoko gripped her sword tightly as she remembered that evening the emperor gave her this task. A task, which he impressed to her, that has an equal amount of importance as anyat these troubling times of Mongol invasion.

"Motoko-san… are you familiar with… legends?" the emperor has asked that night.

"Only a few, my lord… only a few…" Motoko has answered, bewildered with the query.

"Legends? Aren't they nothing more than tales for unruly children to behave?" Naru asked.

The emperor smiled and continued, "Quite true… but behind every legend is a story that bears the truth. A life immortalized by the accounts made by people who have seen the extraordinary… and so they exists…"

"They exist?" Mitsune asked, drawn by the mystery of the emperor's comments.

"Yes they do… they do exist… and one of them is being held captive by the shogunate…"

"One of them?" Shinobu started.

"During the older days of the Kamakura shogunate… my family… the imperial family has been threatened by the shogun's admonition that it will replace the imperial rule to a family known as a legend…"

Motoko looked up, "I remember… when I was young… the imperial family and the shogunate scoured Japan for a legend… they destroyed all of these legendary families… all of them… I thought-,"

The emperor nodded, sadness in his eyes, "I admit… my family has been very… very harsh… it was the days of my grandfather… it was the days of great fear… I remember… when I was young… I remember all the hatred it has caused… so many innocent people killed," _Haruka…_

"Then that means-," Mitsune said with alarm.

"Yes… some of these legends survived. As I said… the shogunate was bent to replace us… it was said that these legendary families have powers equal to the Gods… and therefore has the right to rule as sons of heaven… and so we raced, looking for any rumour or any hint of any ability that is so powerful…"

"A legend has survived?" Naru asked.

"And the shogunate kept the survivors as their own. And I am quite certain that they are using them now as we speak… although the only problem is… their knowledge of these legends are limited. They know the name but they cannot understand what they can do… but we… we understand them… that is why until now… we are trying to save them from the clutches of the shogunate ironclad hands…"

Motoko stood, "These families have all been destroyed… how can we be sure that the shogunate has genuine legend in captivity?"

The emperor stared at Motoko with seriousness, "Spies… I have sent spies to the shogunate halls and we have learned that they are being held at the northern temples…"

"Then that means…"

"Yes Motoko-san… your new task is to rescue a legend... a priestess. She has the power of nature in her hands… and I am sure that the shogunate does not know this… we would need her to aid us against the onslaught of the Mongolian invasion…"

"I understand…"

"I have to warn you that I have already sent countless samurais to rescue the priestess… but no one has returned… it is said that this temple is guarded by another legend… one they say that has the power over death… one who could not die… who could not be killed,"

"I see…"

And so it has been decided.

Motoko would have to do this alone for she would be travelling in complete secrecy. And to her surprise, Naru and Kitsune decided to come along. Naru with her knowledge of the shogunate temples and Mitsune's familiarity with the northern passages, both would be of great use to Motoko. Shinobu joined too, reasoned that she could provide medical assistance to anyone in need. Kaolla didn't bother to ask for she has already attached herself to Motoko, going wherever Motoko decided to go.

And to Motoko's astonishment and relief, Keitaro joined them.

Motoko glanced towards Keitaro who has Kaolla sitting on his shoulders and Shinobu chatting with him happily by his side.

The whole day Motoko has been avoiding Keitaro.

For some reason she felt differently with him. She felt warmth coursing through her body whenever he was around. She found herself unable to look at him. His stare would cause her to tremble. And sometimes she would lightly shiver at the smallest of his touch.

And she knew that others felt the same way with him, if not as strong as hers.

In their eyes, Keitaro has changed.

He may still wear the same rags as clothes. He may still act as clueless as a mindless monkey. He may still be as clumsy as a child. Or he may still speak gibberish like a village idiot.

They still could not deny the fact that he was part of the royal family, or has been, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

And to be with him, they all felt a great sense of privilege.

They all felt safe.

Motoko blushed.

"Are you alright Motoko-chan?" Mitsune asked as she walked beside Motoko.

Motoko gasped with surprise, wide eyed, she said, "Don't surprise me like that Kitsune!"

Mitsune smiled, "Hey… that's new… you just called me Kitsune!"

Motoko blushed again, she bowed, "I apologize for my rudeness… I did not mean anything when I said that…"

"You know… I actually liked it… a fox… cunning… bold… I liked it!" Mitsune mused.

"What's wrong Mitsune?" Naru joined the two.

"Call me Kitsune!" Mitsune replied pointedly.

"What? Why would I call you Kitsune?"

"Because I like it!"

Then a hissing sound.

Without a word, Motoko grabbed Mitsune and Naru and then pushed them to the ground. She looked up and found that Keitaro did the same with Kaolla and Shinobu.

"Are you alright Motoko-san?" Keitaro shouted keeping his head low.

"We're alright in here Keitaro-san…"

Then another hissing sound.

The ground was suddenly pulverised with little arrows.

"To the trees! Everybody! Quick!" Keitaro shouted back as he carried Kaolla and Shinobu towards the closest tree.

Naru, Motoko and Mitsune did the same, running on the opposite direction.

They all stood behind their covering trees and waited for another attack. Motoko was busy scanning the bushes for any signs of their attacker. She deduced that they must be nearing their destination. She turned towards Naru.

"How far are we from the temple Kitsune?"

Kitsunescrewed her eyes in concentration before replying, "Not far… we should be there before nightfall…"

"It must be the legendary guardian the emperor was talking about…"Naru said while slowly edging out of the tree to have a better look at their predator.

She saw nothing.

The road was empty.

The trees swayed with the cold summer wind.

Then out of the bushes appeared a small girl.

"It's a little girl!" Shinobu said with alarm, running out of their tree to warn the new comer.

"Shinobu wait!" Keitaro shouted.

Motoko was also confused when she saw the little girl but her confusion turned to horror when she saw the girl raise her hand and pointed at Shinobu. Two arrows spat out of it.

"Shinobu… NO!"

Fortunately, Keitaro managed to grab Shinobu in the nick of time, missing the arrows by a hairline. The two rolled onto the ground and into the bushes as arrows trailed behind them.

Motoko ran out of their coveringtree and into the road to create a diversion, she shouted, "I'm here!"

The little girl was lightly distracted. She then turned her little hand towards Motoko.

Motoko drew her sword, "Who are you?"

The little girl was wearing a light kimono. There was an eerie smile on her face. Her bluish eyes wide open, her cheeks an eternal blushing colour and her hair brownish and tightly donned into a bun. There were visible marks on her wrists, arm joints and ankles. Marks Motoko could not make out of.

The little girl's eyes were lifeless… empty.

Motoko shivered.

The girl does not look human.

_Is this the legend? Is she human at all? _"Who are you?"

The girl stepped forward with her hand pointing at Motoko.

There was a low noise, like wooden splinters tapping together, then an inhuman sound, "My name is Moe,"

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay… it has taken me some time to finish this chapter as I wanted to make it longer than usual for everybody's enjoyment. So anybody has an idea what's this story really about? I sure hope so! 

Anyway… I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to those kind enough to leave a review. And I'm telling you now that all of the names in here… the emperor and shogun… even the regency… they are all true names taken from Japanese history. The only ones' fiction is everybody from Love Hina… so if you want to know what timeline I'm working on…research!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	11. xi

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XI**

---

_She's not human!_

It was the last thought Motoko has before diving to the ground as the air above her was suddenly hailed with deadly little arrows. She quickly rolled to the side and into the nearest tree, wrapping herself into the grassy land, hearing the sound of death so close to her ears, just a breath away.

"MOTOKO ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Naru shouted, coming out of their tree only to freeze in fear.

Motoko looked up from the ground and in her dismay found Naru standing just behind the little girl, staring, motionless and in shock. There was an utter look of terror in her eyes.

"NARU-SEMPAI, GET OUT OF THERE NOW! RUN AWAY!" Motoko shouted back, trying to untangle herself from the ground as fast as she could.

But the little girl has already turned, her little hand pointing at Naru. Her face still has that eerie expression. Her big eyes were wide open but see nothing. Her smile was cheerful but hauntingly empty. She moved with life but her motion soulless.

And Naru was terrified.

She could not move.

Her nightmare has come to life to take her away.

"It's… it's… it's that cursed doll my grandmother used to scare me with when I was a child… it's the legend of the cursed doll…" Naru whispered through her fear, rooted to the ground, she shook uncontrollably, "Get away from me… you're not real… you're not real… you're not real!"

Motoko raised her sword, about to throw it at the little girl as her last desperate attempt to save Naru.

But Moe the doll shot Naru point blank.

The arrow flew away.

A hissing sound echoed.

Moe's arrow missed Naru by a few feet, hitting a tree behind her.

Motoko, confused with Moe's sudden inaccuracy, saw a long arrow sticking on the little girl's wrist.

It was Keitaro's arrow.

Moe paused and impassively examined the foreign object.

_By Kami! Keitaro's arrow deflected the little girl's hand away!_ Motoko used the momentary distraction and ran passed Moe, grabbed Naru by her waist and carried her back to their covering tree.

Then a hissing sound tore through the air again.

The little girl staggered back as another arrow struck her on the chest.

Then another struck her on the shoulder, causing her to step back, away from Motoko's covering tree.

Motoko peered from her tree and found Keitaro, a few feet away, shooting Moe with uncanny speed and accuracy, his demeanour calm and confident, releasing one arrow after another in quick successive motion.

Moe's expression never changed. There were ten arrows sticking on her body now. She looked down and inspected the protrusions curiously.

"It's not affecting her! By Kami! What is she?" Mitsune spoke with panic stricken eyes staring at the little girl.

"She's a doll…" Naru whispered, her voice distant and unattached, "She's a wooden doll come to life… she's a legend of the old days! She's unstoppable!"

Motoko gripped her sword hard.

"Motoko-san, get out of there now! Quick!" Keitaro ordered as he paused and watched his target, an arrow ready on his bow.

Motoko doesn't have to be told twice. She grabbed Naru and Mitsune's hands and ran through the trees towards the opposite side of the road where Shinobu and Kaolla were securely hidden, assured that if the little girl decided to shoot them again, Keitaro would cover their passage.

Moe slowly held one of the arrows buried on her chest and gently pulled it out.

Then she looked up and stared at Keitaro.

An unnerving silence passed between them.

Then she disappeared.

"What the…" Keitaro's words were cut short.

A blurred image flew before him. And before he could react, a leg shot straight to his chest and he was painfully lifted off from the ground then crashed heavily into a tree, leaves falling everywhere.

Motoko turned in time to see Keitaro loose consciousness as he disappeared underneath a cloud of dust, ground dirt and wood chips, "KEITARO NO!"

"KEITARO!" Naru and Mitsune shouted in unison, knelt on the floor, their hopes of survival dying before them.

"SEMPAI!" Shinobu wailed, held back by Kaolla's firm grip, although her face could not hide her sadness.

For the first time that day Motoko was truly afraid.

The doll, Moe, arrows sticking from her body, stood before Keitaro's prone body, prepared to kick him again. Her speed was unbelievable, her intent unstoppable. She was a true legend to be feared.

Then Motoko felt an extreme anger she never knew existed. A hatred surpassing anything she has ever felt before, deeper, stronger.

"Kaolla… I want you to take Naru, Mitsune and Shinobu out of here!" Motoko's voice was strangely solid, "No matter what happens… I want you to finish this task… even… even without me and… and Keitaro…"

"MOTOKO-SEMPAI!" Kaolla shouted, trying to salvage their last chance of escape.

"No Motoko! Don't!" Naru reached out but Motoko has already stepped forward and into the open.

She gripped her sword two handed and raised it high into the air.

_YOU WILL NOT HURT MY KEI-KUN! _Motoko's face turned into a ferocious snarl and charged, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The atmosphere around her was suddenly heavily, as she tore her way through the doll, creating a crevice onto the ground, sending rocks everywhere. The earth seemed to tremble, shaking with anticipation, trees swaying away.

Motoko reached her prey.

"**AIR-SPLITTING SWORD!**"

A powerful shockwave blasted through.

Then nothing.

Moe has turned and has blocked Motoko's sword with her arm.

Motoko was wide eyed. Her mouth open, speechless. _She blocked me!_

Everything went into a standstill.

Everybody was stricken with complete astonishment.

"Oh no…" Mitsune whispered.

With the same soulless expression on her face, Moe moved calmly and graciously, delivered successive punches on Motoko's exposed stomach, and kicked her into the ground. A resounding crash echoed into the whole forest, sending flocks of birds into the sky.

The cloud of dust became thicker, gloomier.

Then silence.

Everything seemed lost.

"It has been told that the legendary doll would destroy everything on its path. Following only one command and one command only… she could never be stopped… no one could ever stop her… except her own master…" Naru whispered into the loud silence that has suddenly crept into the woods, their helpless condition apparent.

"Motoko… Keitaro…" Mitsune cried, "We'll never come out of this alive… aren't we?"

"I don't know…"

Then through the haze a shadow rose before the two. Naru and Mitsune braced themselves to meet the inevitable.

Moe's lifeless smile gleamed through the thick cloud.

Then the sound of wood snapping together surrounded them.

It was the sound of death.

The little girl paused, standing before the two shaking adults.

Then the little girl raised her arm once more to block a short blade aimed for her neck. Kaolla jumped away and quickly attacked again, this time, charging for Moe's blind side. And it was deftly blocked.

Shinobu joined Naru and Mitsune as they watched Kaolla fight Moe with speed and rage uncommon for her age and gender.

Kaolla attacked again, giving everything she has, their last stand.

Moe managed to catch Kaolla's kick in midair and threw her towards Shinobu's side. She crashed heavily.

Kaolla stood again only to be stopped by Shinobu's hand. Kaolla looked down. Shinobu shook her head, "It's over Kaolla-san… it's hopeless… so please…"

A tear rolled onto Kaolla's eternally blushing cheeks, whispered, "No…" balled her hand into a fist, "I'm doing this for Keitaro… for Motoko…"

"But you will be killed Kaolla… please… let's just surrender…"

Kaolla looked away, "I'd rather die…"

Then silence.

Moe walked towards the remaining four.

She stood before them calmly.

Then she softly whispered, "Have you seen my master?"

Naru and Mitsune looked at each other trying to make sense of the question. Shinobu shivered as she strained to keep Kaolla from attacking Moe again. They mused. But they could not answer.

Naru slowly and carefully replied by shaking her head.

Moe quickly raised her hand and pointed it at Naru, said, "Then you will die…"

Mitsune grabbed Naru as she closed her eyes to meet her death, waiting for the arrow to tear her flesh and finally kill her, hoping and praying with all her might to make it as quick as possible, sparing her from inevitable pain.

"YOU WILL HURT NO ONE!" An unfamiliar voice suddenly thundered through the vast forest.

And Moe, for the first time that day, showed a genuine sign of emotion.

It was joy, pure longing joy.

"Master?" Moe turned and saw a figure behind the thick cloud of dust.

Naru opened her eyes and she gasped.

Everybody gasped.

It was Keitaro.

But it wasn't Keitaro at all.

There was a black aura emanating around him, the flaps of rags bandaged across his beaten body was swaying with the air, his eyes were of solid black, and her hair seemed longer. There were lines of age marked across his face; it wasn't the same kind face they were all acquainted to, but a face of a man who lived a harsh terrible life.

It wasn't Keitaro at all.

Naru could not help but shiver with what she was seeing right now.

The hairs at the back of her neck were standing. There were goose bumps all over her skin.

It was like seeing a ghost from a past.

A terrifying ghost.

Shinobu fainted. Mitsune stared; opening her mouth and shutting it close again, unable to react. Kaolla watched the event unfolding before her with a mild curiosity, content to know that Keitaro was alive.

There was a sudden rush in the surrounding.

The man suddenly materialized beside Moe.

He looked down on her and simply stared.

Moe's eyes were wide. Her smile was livelier, her demeanour ecstatic, "Master! You're here!"

The man smiled then knelt before the little girl. He embraced her and whispered, "I have a new command for you…"

"Please master… please…"

The rush of air blinded the women who watched the scene with awe and wonder. The cloud seemed to hover around the two figures. A man and a little girl, sharing a secret inside the haze of whirling wind.

Then suddenly, the wind rushed again.

And Naru found herself staring directly at the man's face.

He was bending over her, staring directly at Naru's eyes. His face close to hers.

Then he said, "It's nice to see you again Naru-chan… even for a single moment,"

Naru blushed.

There was sadness in the man's face. And there was something else too. There was love. An endearing love that touched Naru's heart. She could see it in the man's eyes, those big black round eyes staring at her with so much passion. She could feel it in the man's smile as if he was holding himself for control, that sad, sad smile.

And Naru knew… deep inside her, she knew.

She felt the same.

She closed her eyes. She edged herself closer. Feeling the undeniable comfort of her being this close to the man.

_Please… just this time…_

Then the wind rushed once more and it was much stronger than before. There was a whimpering sound as if the forest was groaning. The trees swayed side to side, grasses parted as the wind passed through.

Then all of a sudden, it dissipated.

Leaving the surrounding in complete stillness.

Naru opened her eyes again.

And she saw… Keitaro.

It was Keitaro once more.

Naru was staring at Keitaro.

Keitaro's face first turn confused. He frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as if answering an abysmal question from inside his head. Then his frown was suddenly replaced by alarm. And one word came out from his mouth, "Motoko!"

Naru blinked.

Keitaro turned and he was held back by Naru's hand, holding his arm. Her hold hopeful… desperate.

She asked, "Keitaro… do you… do you remembering… anything?"

Keitaro paused, "No… I… I don't… I don't remember anything… except for… except for her scream… Motoko…"

Then Keitaro fainted.

---

Keitaro awoke with a start.

And the very first person he saw was… Naru.

She was busy mixing herbal leaves on a bowl when she glanced towards Keitaro.

She smiled.

"You're awake… that's good…"

Keitaro looked down and found his chest bandaged. He looked around and saw that his rags were neatly folded beside him. It was strangely dark and the only source of light is the small, low bonfire, crackling beside Naru. He looked up and saw the clear night, stars brightly shining above them.

"Where are we?" Keitaro asked, staring at the stars.

Naru focused her attention on the bowl again, replied, "Just north of where we met Moe…"

"Moe… where is she?"

"She's with Kaolla…"

"Huh?"

Naru shook her head in disbelief, speaking without turning her head, "She woke up a while ago and begged for us to take her along… I mean… we were very sceptical… but she showed how useful she was… and she was really, really eager to come along… as if… as if…"

"Nothing happened…"

Naru turned, "Yes… that's right… we kept on asking her if she remembered anything. Kaolla was rude at first; I guess I can understand her… Moe nearly killed us all… and now… she wants us to forget everything that had happened… just like that… it was weird…"

"Why does she want to come with us?"

Naru's face turned serious and whispered, "Because you told her to…"

Keitaro frowned, "Huh? Why would I do such a thing? And why would she follow me anyway?"

Naru gently placed the bowl aside. She crept towards Keitaro and knelt before him. She closed her eyes, breathed slowly, and asked, "Are you sure you can't remember anything?"

"By Kami! I don't remember anything! I mean… I just passed out after she kicked me… I'm not even sure where I landed…" Keitaro protested with a shake of his head.

"She keeps on telling us that you are her master,"

"What are you talking about? I haven't seen her in my entire life… how can I be her master?"

A pause.

Naru looked away, whispered, "Then that means… you wouldn't know anything about that…"

A gentle wind blew between the two.

It was cold.

"About what?" Keitaro asked.

Naru didn't answer. Instead, she stood and walked away.

Wanting to hide the tears from her eyes, wanting to suppress the pain in her heart, that loneliness that suddenly waved inside her fragile state. She wanted to get away from Keitaro as far as she could and yet she doesn't want to feel the greater pain of being away from him. She doesn't want to lose a chance that she could win. She just doesn't want to be hurt again.

"Narusegawa-san… are you… are you alright?"

"I'm fine…"

"Uhm… I was wondering… where's everybody?"

A pause.

"Shinobu and Mitsune are both taking a bath at the lake south of us,"

"I mean… how about-,"

"MOTOKO'S FINE!" Naru snapped, then she drew back, ashamed of what she did, whispered, "I… I apologize…"

Keitaro looked down.

He sighed.

"No… I'm the one who needs to apologize… I have been very uncouth… I have burdened you with my own weakness… I apologize… I should have been much more careful… a slave like me doesn't need to be weak… for to be weak means death… in the eyes of the empire and the shogunate,"

A pause.

Naru sobbed but kept her face away from the light, her back towards Keitaro, she whispered, "Keitaro… you're… you're an amazing person… you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders on your own… and it's amazing. You are much more honourable than any man I have ever met… and the emperor's right… you should have been the emperor… you could have saved Japan… I believe that Kei-kun… I believe in you…"

With that last word, Naru left Keitaro.

---

Hol Don, commander of the Mongolian army sent by the great Mongolian emperor, Kublai Khan, strained himself for control.

The Mongolian army has finally settled at Iki Island, while the adjoining islands, Komota and Tsushima were occupied by the Korean army led by Kim Bang-Gyong. The ships has lined the coast and could be seen stretching from the Chinese mainland.

Hol Don was content that the first phase of their plan to invade Japan was coming along nicely.

And now, a very angry general was ranting nonsensically before the commander of the vast Mongolian army.

"YOU SHOULD NOT ALLOW A BITCH LIKE HER TO LEAVE THE HEADQUARTERS!" the general screamed at the top of his lungs, "SHE COULD BE LEAVING US TO WARN THE JAPANESE DOGS ABOUT OUR PLANS!"

Hol Don sighed. He knew that lady Yuki's planned departure for the Japanese mainland would cause dissident among his generals. And he knew that this would not be the last. He would hear more.

And for the eighth time, he asked himself whether it was wise to let lady Yuki go.

And for the eighth time, he reminded himself of lady Yuki's hatred of Japanese empire and bakufu.

Because of lady Yuki, they managed to subdue the villagers of the islands without so much of a resistance. Her foresight has guided them through unpredictable ruthless China Sea weather. And true to her words, she has given them all the information they need to conquer Japan. There was nothing more they could ask of her.

And so she deserved what she requested.

Even if she managed to warn the Japanese army, they wouldn't have time to prepare for the Mongolians' assault. Even if they managed to prepare to anticipate the attack, they wouldn't hold long enough, for the Mongolian army has brought countless number of advanced armaments.

They would crush the Japanese empire.

They would destroy the Japanese shogunate bakufu.

They would shove them to the ground to bow before a new ruler.

The raging general stomped his feet and slammed his fist into the table.

Hol Don was abruptly taken away from his thoughts. He's had enough.

He stood but before he could draw his sword, lady Yuki entered the room.

The general blanched, "LADY YUKI!"

Lady Yuki stared at the general impassively, and then ignored him; she turned towards Hol Don and whispered, "I want my boat ready tonight…"

The general burst in anger, "YOU BITCH! YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THE HEADQUARTERS! YOU WILL DO AS WE SAY! YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A DOG-EATING JAP-,"

A sudden light flashed into the dark room.

Then the general's head rolled on the floor, his body, lifeless on the side.

Hol Don was rooted to the ground. He was amazed at what he had seen. He has heard of lady Yuki's skills, of her power, but this was the first time he had seen it up close. And even at this close proximity, all he had was a glimpse of a black blade held by a hand covered with layers and layers of burned cloth. The image suddenly disappeared, leaving lady Yuki's calm figure standing before him, with her black robe tightly closed once more.

There was a smell of burning flesh in the air.

It was the smell of hatred.

Hol Don composed himself and nodded, "I was going to kill him myself…"

Lady Yuki smiled, "I saved you time…"

"You always do…"

Then lady Yuki's face turned serious once more, "You will leave this island in four days… not before and not after…"

Hol Don considered the last foresight given to him. And he acknowledged its importance, "Will you meet us at the beach?"

"No… but you will see me on the day of the battle…"

"Which side will you be on?"

"Nobody's… I will be there to watch… not to fight…"

Hal Don sighed.

A pause.

"What are your last predictions for the Mongolian and Korean invading army?"

"You will all die…"

Hal Don frowned, "That prediction has not changed… even with all the preparations we have made, we still cannot evade our fates?"

Lady Yuki shook her head, "No… you will not die at the hands of the Japanese army… you will die at the hand of someone far greater… far more powerful than all armies combined…"

Hal Don smiled, "I see… then… that's the fate I would gladly accept… I'd rather drown than be defeated by a Japanese!" He raised his fist in the air in anger and with conviction.

Lady Yuki smiled, "Prepare my boat tonight… I will leave before the sun rises…"

She turned towards the door.

_Fools! You will all die at the hand of Japanese… _

_One Japanese_

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! How are you all doing! I hope this chapter is illuminating for you. I tried to create the proper romantic edge, as you can see Keitaro is in a bit of a pickle… again! I tried to make it as real as possible when it comes to emotional development. I don't want this to look like everybody's literally jumping to each other… it has to develop somewhere at some point. And the whole story is big enough… I guess to big considering that a war is about to happen. 

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those kind enough to leave a note of what you think of the story. I hope that I have not disappointed you with this chapter.

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	12. xii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XII**

---

Keitaro was confused.

The sun was high, the day was hot, and the wind breezed with warm breaths.

It was the second day of their journey towards the northern temples where it was rumoured that a certain group of people – special people – were being held captive by the Kamakura shogunate. These people with special 'abilities and skills' vaguely known as _Legends,_ hidden from the archives of Japanese history were the only survivors of a bloody fear and hate driven past.

And Keitaro could only shiver with the thought of being held captive. All his life he has been somewhat 'reluctant' to stay at one place. When he was young, he had taken to roam the forest and the mountains, outwitting and enraging his agitated guardians. Unlike the other _Go_ children in the palace, Keitaro was the only child who dared to walk past the High Samurai Guards installed by the Kamakura bakufu, who overlooked the open road.

The former emperor has been very lenient with him as if he was expected to be 'different'. And with such attitude, Keitaro has become more and more inquisitive of who he was… who he really was.

Because there was something deep inside Keitaro that was so unfathomable even to him, some irrational feeling that he could not understand.

Keitaro felt hatred.

But why?

"Are you feeling well Keitaro-sama?"

Keitaro almost jumped but managed to contort his face into an innocent smile. He turned towards Moe's cheerful yet concerned look, "I'm… I'm alright Moe-san… and you don't have to call me Keitaro-sama… Keitaro should be fine,"

"That's good to know Keitaro-sama," Moe smiled with an awed sigh ignoring Keitaro's request.

It seemed unreal for Keitaro to walk beside a doll that breathes and speaks. And what was even more peculiar was that he was walking beside the same person who tried to kill him, talking to him like nothing had happened.

And her involvement with Keitaro was another mystery he could only shrug away. For her insistence that she had finally found her master, referring to Keitaro as the same man who had ordered her to join the little rescue party, was both unexplainable and impossible.

Moe was a legend.

Moe was seven hundred years old.

It was clearly impossible.

But for some odd reason, Keitaro felt comfortable around the little girl. Her loyalty and willingness to help was so evident that everyone found it easy to forgive and forget.

Keitaro looked around and found Shinobu walking beside Kaolla, while Mitsune was happily chatting with a clearly disinterested Naru, and Motoko was just behind all of them, acting as their rear guard.

Motoko turned and saw Keitaro looking at her.

Almost immediately, the two withdrew their glances.

Keitaro sighed.

And Keitaro was confused.

Whatever they had between them has only increased his uneasiness, clogging his mind, fogging his senses. And it was the first time Keitaro has ever let anybody, let alone a young woman, affect him as much.

It happened the night before.

It happened the day they found the enigmatic Moe.

Keitaro's mind and heart was in chaos. Naru's parting words were both warming to the heart but uncomfortable to the mind.

It was the first time a girl has been this forward to him. It was the first time any girl took notice of him. And Naru was not just 'any' girl.

Keitaro should be honoured, yet he felt uneasy.

Or maybe his inexperience with such open declaration from the female species was a simple indication of how little he knows.

_I believe that Keitaro… I believe in you…_

Her words. And the way she said it not only warmed his heart, but it also stabbed a sudden realisation in his confused mind – he doesn't know what to do.

And the night went on.

Keitaro, seeking solace, walked idly away from his carefully prepared bed made of soft and scented leaves; wearing the same rags he had always worn to cover the bandages around his chest.

He was looking for somebody.

After a while Keitaro found Kaolla on a tree with Moe, and both were delved into a discussion he could not understand. It was something about a wheel that turns with teeth around it to allow secure locking of another… Keitaro only shrugged.

Then looking to the right, Keitaro heard Shinobu and Mitsune on their way back to their camping site after a brief wash from a stream below.

Keitaro quickly walked away, wanting to avoid a very uncomfortable meeting, remembering the last time he accidentally stepped into Mitsune while she was washing. It gave him sleepless nights. And he reckoned Mitsune won't be happy if she only knew that their 'brief' encounter had turned into a very wet fantasy even Keitaro felt shameful of having.

Then again… he walked to another accident.

He found himself staring at Motoko.

Motoko has her Kimono down to her waist, revealing her smooth, milky white shoulders. Her hands stretched upwards, busy tying her long silky black hair that seemed to glisten in the dark. Her back was facing Keitaro and she still has her gi straps on her chest, but the swell of her breast, full and taut, was clearly evident.

Keitaro gulped.

He was only a few feet away and Motoko was so engrossed with her hair that she failed to notice him staring at her.

Then she turned.

And she saw him.

Keitaro gulped again. He seemed rooted to the ground. His mind was screaming for him to apologize and run but his body seemed to ignore this reasonable action.

And Keitaro skipped a heartbeat.

Motoko's eyes widened when it finally dawned to her her state of undress. Then her eyes slowly settled, and then she slowly, almost seductively, lowered her arms, never letting her eyes away from Keitaro's.

She then straightened her back, enlarging the swell of her breast.

Keitaro gulped again.

There was a thin smile on Motoko's face; her stare was both an invitation and a warning. Both were neither true nor false.

And for a long while nobody spoke.

Keitaro just stood a few feet away, admiring the beauty that was placed before him. He felt unworthy. The night has just begun.

_She is so… beautiful. By Kami she is so beautiful!_

Keitaro eyed the curve of Motoko's body, the whiteness of her shoulders, the swell of her breasts… it was almost too good to be true.

Then their moment passed.

Almost instantly, Keitaro turned away while Motoko quickly raised her Kimono to cover her.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I'm sorry," Keitaro started the chant, daring not to look back again.

Motoko sighed.

Then she composed herself and faced Keitaro who was now on the ground bowing with his eyes closed shut, chanting his mantras of apologies.

She could only laugh with amusement, "It's alright… nothing happened… right?"

It took Keitaro a moment to understand what she was trying to convey. Then he finally understood with another series of deep bows.

Then after a while, Keitaro sat up properly, trying hard not to look at her, he muttered, "I… I saw… no… I heard what you did… before I passed out when Moe attacked me…"

Motoko blushed. She quickly recovered coughing a little to cover her embarrassment.

"I… I'd like to apologize for letting you down today. I should have been more careful…"

Motoko shook her head, "No… there is no need for apologies… Moe… is a legend. She is clearly unstoppable… even with the emperor's best samurais… nobody is a match to her… I… I am even a little surprised that you survived… and-,"

Motoko looked away, withdrawing herself, afraid of what he might think of her.

Keitaro turned his gaze towards Motoko, "I would also like to thank you for what you did… you don't need to… I mean you don't have to… you could have escaped with Kaolla to help you… there is no need for you to… to do what you just did today,"

"Yes there is!" Motoko snapped, "I cannot leave you… I WON'T LEAVE YOU!"

Keitaro was taken aback.

And so was Motoko.

Motoko turned a deeper shade of red, cursing herself for being so careless, cursing herself for being so emotional… and she doesn't want to… lose him, not here… not now. She won't scare him away.

"I mean…" Motoko quickly continued, "I mean… I am responsible for you… you joined us even though you don't need to… so I have the responsibility to keep you alive… I mean all of us…"

The air was becoming thicker, heavier.

There was some peculiar vibes in the surrounding.

And both of them could feel it on their skin.

The night seemed brighter… the stars sparkling with beauty and tranquillity… the night creatures humming their comfortable songs… the wind breezing through their warmth.

It was an amorous night.

For both of them.

Then Keitaro stood. But before he could walk away, he felt Motoko's hands in his. He turned and saw her staring on the ground.

She whispered unable to look at him, "Please… don't go…" _What am I doing? Why do I feel this way with him? Why am I shivering like a little girl?_

Keitaro looked away, "I… I can't… stay… I need to be somewhere else for now… I… I don't think it's wise for me to stay here with you… if I do… I'm not sure… what I would do…"

Then Motoko finally looked at him, "Why Keitaro? Why are you running away? What are you running away from? Is it… me?" _Why do I want you so much? Why do I desire you Keitaro?_

Keitaro shook his head, "No… no… Kami knows I don't deserve you… I don't deserve anyone… it's just that…"

"What is it… Kei… kun?" _Am I inlove? Am I inlove with you Keitaro?_

Keitaro sighed, gently took his hands away, "It's me… I'm afraid… I'm afraid of myself…"

A pause.

"I'm afraid of what I feel… do you know? I feel hatred. I… I'm not sure why… but there is a part of me that is telling me that I shouldn't be here… there is a part of me that tells me that I should despise the emperor… even though he has been kind to me… it feels like I don't belong there… that I shouldn't even be there. That I should despise Narusegawa… that I should despise… even you… anybody connected to the imperial family… everybody connected to the imperial family…

… There is a part of me that scares me thoroughly Motoko-san. There is a part of me that was hidden and was clamouring to get away. But I couldn't. That's why I joined you on this journey… I wanted to prove to myself that whatever I feel was nothing but a childish paranoia. But everyday… it grows stronger…

… and I don't want to despise you… Motoko-chan. I don't want to hate you… not you… not you…" Keitaro turned towards Motoko.

Motoko wiped a tear from her eyes. _What are you doing to me Keitaro?_

Then Keitaro walked away.

Keitaro felt his heart breaking. He had hurt Motoko that night. And he doesn't blame her for hating him. And every moment he spent time with them… the heavy burden he felt in his heart became unbearable.

And so he tried to avoid them.

Kaolla felt it the moment they started their journey this morning. She shied away, withdrawing herself towards Shinobu but never she never showed it nor voiced her concerns. Mistune need only to look at Keitaro's face to convince her not to disturb him. And the only person clueless to Keitaro's deep confusion and dark mood was the ever cheerful Moe.

Then there was a series of hissing sound.

"MASTER!" Moe pushed Keitaro away.

Arrows struck all over her body.

They were full length arrows, red feather tipped and waxed for lesser noise. The kind of arrows favoured by samurais… shogunate samurais.

The girls, having seen their front guard pushed away by Moe and arrows that suddenly came raining down on them quickly took haven beside the trees.

But Keitaro was too slow that hot afternoon as another set of hissing sound filled the air. Moe was unable to move for there were arrows on her small feet that stuck her to the ground.

"KEITARO RUN!" Motoko cried desperately while the others looked at him helplessly.

Keitaro closed his eyes to finally meet his end.

And it never came.

Keitaro looked up and he found himself staring back at another set of eyes, black round eyes.

The young woman stood before Keitaro with long arrows on her right hand. It was as if she managed to catch the arrows midair. But Keitaro could only shake his head in disbelief as such speed was unheard of.

Then she shook her head in disappointment. Frowned at him and said in cold voice, "You are getting careless… your mind and heart is in confusion and your body could not react to their full potential… and it's all because of her," the girl pointed at Motoko.

In one movement she grabbed Keitaro and shoved him to a tree nearby, missing the arrows by a heartbeat as it pulverised the ground he was sitting on before.

Keitaro could only ask, "Who… who are you?"

The girl stared at him coldly, and then it softened, "Kanako… my name is Kanako,"

There were shouts and Keitaro stole a quick look out of the tree, "Who are they?"

"Shogunate guards… they guard the main entrance…" Kanako replied with impatience, "We don't have time for this…"

"What? Why?" Keitaro shivered.

Kanako stared at him again, "She's been waiting for you…"

Keitaro frowned, "Who? Who's been waiting for me?"

"Hina… grandma Hina…"

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay. I have been busy. Nay… I have been gift shopping! But somehow I managed to sit down and type into my laptop the rest of the story. I hope this has cleared you Motoko and Keitaro's romance. Kanako is in… and I guess she would from here on.

I express me deepest appreciation who were kind enough to leave a note. Thanks guys!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	13. xiii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XIII**

---

Motoko turned and unleashed a series of wave blasts to the pursuing shogunate guards that sent them flying into the air then rolling and crashing downhill.

The chase was on.

The group was on the run uphill guided by a young woman dressed completely in black who introduced herself only as Kanako. And closely behind them were the shogunate guards who seemed to increase in number every step of the way unhindered.

Motoko turned again after a few jumps forward, trying very hard to keep up with the pace set by Kanako. And this time she was joined by Keitaro. The combination of arrows picking targets accurately and the destructive blows of the wave blasts finally forced the shogunate guards to pause and hide behind the trees and stone slabs.

"They're too stubborn!" Motoko grumbled. She knelt, leant heavily on her sword, breathing hard and gasping for air.

Keitaro faced forward and gently placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Would you like me to carry you?"

Motoko looked up and could not hide the blush that suddenly blossomed on her face. She felt warmth looking at his confident stature, as if all these, the threat that the shogunate guards might capture them, did not worry him even at the slightest. _You're amazing Keitaro…_ her heartbeat rose again.

"We don't have time for this… LET'S GO!" interrupted Kanako, who ran back for the two as the rest have already gained distance.

Without another word they ran again leaving the shogunate guards cowering behind the trees and stone slabs waiting for another attack that would never come.

---

"It's in here…" Kanako parted thick foliage beneath a huge stone wedged between two old trees.

And it revealed a small carved opening of a dark tunnel.

The girls poke their heads in.

They all shivered.

"I don't like it… it's creepy down there!" Shinobu whispered and scampered behind Moe.

"Is this really the only way we can get inside the temple?" Naru asked Kanako, unsure whether she could last even a moment inside the tunnel.

Mitsune sniffed loudly then sneezed violently, "It's got a funny smell…" another sneeze, "smells something like… something like a dead rat!"

Kanako hissed, her disgust clearly written on her face, "What kind of rescuers are you? You are sent here by the emperor to rescue a legend!"

"How did you know that?" Motoko stepped forward, alarm on her face.

"It does not matter," Kanako retorted with a shake of her head, "This is the only way we could get in. The main entrance will surely be surrounded by the shogunate guards and the walls will closely be watched too…"

There was a scuffling sound from far ahead but the noise sounded closer.

Kanako quickly drew her short sword, a sword that suspiciously looked similar to Keitaro's.

"We don't have much time… they will be here any moment… you can all go ahead. I will distract the shogunate guards to another location so they won't discover this hidden entrance. This is the only chance we've got!"

"No,"

A pause.

There was an uncomfortable silence in the air, broken only by the noise that became closer and clearer as moments pass by, and it belonged to angry and infuriated shogunate guards.

"What are you saying?" there was a dangerous tone on Kanako's voice.

"I said no," Naru stated firmly, her eyes never left Kanako's cold gaze, "What insurance do we have that this is not another elaborate trap? How can we be sure that you are not working for the shogun?"

There was something that Naru must have said that made Kanako's features darker. A shadow passed over her beautiful face, her mouth thinned and her eyes narrowed. The grip on her short sword tightened and it angled as if preparing for a quick slash that would instantly kill.

Motoko felt the danger in the air.

It was murder.

She quickly stepped between the two with her sword unsheathed.

"We don't have time for this…" Motoko turned to Kanako with a bow, "I apologize for Narusegawa-san's words. It is only a minor precaution for we have been on this predicament before… we don't want anything like that to happen again," then to Naru with a pleading tone, "Naru-sempai… this is not the time to argue. We need to take whatever chance we have. At the moment, this is all we have… please… understand…"

Naru slowly and reluctantly nodded her assent.

Then without another word, Kanako rushed towards the noise that seemed to come directly behind the bushes.

"It's her! Go get her!" shouted the shogunate guards behind the trees.

Scuffling and trampling sound echoed through the forest. Then it was followed by screams of pain and metal clashes.

The girls froze in horror.

"Let's go!" hissed Motoko to all of them and they one by one crawled inside the dark tunnel.

"Don't worry… I have a feeling that she's tougher than she looks…" Mitsune whispered in the dark.

Then she sneezed.

---

The tunnel led them to a crevice on one of the thick walls of the temple. It is a segment of the temple wall where in it was completely covered with thick moss and shrubberies, evidence of years of neglect.

Directly in front of the ruined wall was a garden of flower beds and vegetable patch. There were nets covered with snaking roots of hanging flower plants all over the trees as if to serve as a temporary cover for the unsightly display of the ruined and uncared for temple wall.

Keitaro was the first to come out.

He quickly rolled to the side then made a small hole on the corner of the net cover. He came out on the other side and scanned the surrounding for any sign of shogunate guards.

There wasn't any.

Flocks of birds were perched on the tree branches above singing with delight in this late afternoon. There was tranquillity on the atmosphere uncorrupted by the brutal strength of the shogunate guards.

Motoko came next and then she ushered the others inside the seemingly unattended garden.

"I have never seen a plant like this before…" whispered Shinobu as she came out of the net. She studied the flowers that were hanging on the screen with its roots that snaked to the wall and into the trees. She was intrigued, "How can a flower survive like this? What kind of a flower is this?"

"It's called an orchid…"

Everybody froze.

And they all turned to the voice.

It was a young woman.

Her hair was of a long brownish colour with what seemed antlers sticking out at the top much like Naru's; she has thick but shapely eyebrows above a seemingly clueless round eyes. She was carrying a small crate filled with little shovels and cloth gloves.

She smiled cheerfully and continued, "Ara, ara! I never thought I'd be having some guests today! This is so nice!"

A pause.

Keitaro was completely at a loss of what to do while Motoko could only shake her head in disbelief. They never thought that such normality would be possible inside the temple. For so many nights they have wondered how the shogun treated the prisoners, the legends. And they shivered as they imagined the cruelty that the legends must have suffered under the hands of the tyrant, thinking of chains, fires and stinking prison cells.

It seemed they imagined everything wrong.

The young woman smiled and bowed then proceeded towards where Shinobu was standing. She knelt beside Shinobu then started digging on the ground unmindful of the stares from her apparent 'visitors'.

"Erm… excuse me miss… miss," Keitaro approached the young woman. He knelt beside her.

The young woman turned then pressed her face on Keitaro's.

The girls hissed either with contempt at such vulgar act or with surprise and utter curiosity at her behaviour.

"Ara, ara! You got a darling face! Have I seen you before?" the young woman said, her face an inch away from Keitaro.

Keitaro could only blush. He stuttered, "Uhm… we… uhm… you… see… we… uhm,"

Motoko's eyebrows twitched. _BACK OFF LADY!_

"What Keitaro-san is trying to say is that… uhm… we are looking for somebody here," Naru said as she stepped between the two, careful to make it as polite as possible while pushing Keitaro, rather roughly, away, _TIME OUT! HE'S MINE!_ "I mean… aren't you even worried to find strangers inside the temple?"

The young woman clapped her hands with a sweet smile, "Are you telling me that you're supposed to be some sort of bandits and all? Am I supposed to be a hostage or something?"

"Er?" Mitsune scratched her head.

"I could be a pirate!" jumped Kaolla around the garden.

"No!" Motoko shook her head with frustration, "We are here to rescue somebody!"

The young woman's eyes became a pair of large round orbs, "Really! That's so romantic!" she went into a giggling fit that sent everyone to the ground.

"Excuse me… may we have your name please?" Keitaro started again, trying to control this seemingly unreal situation they found themselves in.

The young woman paused and then bowed, "My name is Mutsumi Otohime. I'm the priestess of the Legend of the Otohime clan,"

---

"I didn't know I was that important!" exclaimed Mutsumi with a hand on the air as she stuffed another freshly sliced watermelon onto her face.

The girls were so amazed at such skill. Mutsumi managed to keep her face clean and unstained of the watermelon's juices that seemed to scatter all over the place. And they were even more surprised to find themselves on another garden especially made for growing watermelons.

Motoko shook her head again after staring open mouthed at Mutsumi and tried to explain the situation once more, "Otohime-san… please… we are here to rescue you. The emperor sent us here to take you away and back to the imperial castle…"

Mutsumi clapped her hands and said delightfully, "Can we take my watermelons?"

"Er?"

"There are seven of us… then that means we could take two each! Keitaro-san could carry three! That will be a lot of watermelons!"

"We can't do that Otohime-san," Naru said, exasperated and tired.

"How about one each then!"

"Are you sure you are the priestess of the Otohime legends?" Mitsune muttered under her breath.

"Otohime-san… Japan is in grave danger… we need you to help us… the empire needs your help…" Motoko said slowly and with care.

Mutsumi paused.

Then she nodded.

"As long as the empire is willing to let me grow some watermelons! I really don't like to leave my watermelons here…" there was a hint of sadness on Mutsumi's voice and it was quickly covered with one of her sliced watermelon that suddenly appeared on her hands.

Motoko nodded, "Very well… I'm sure that that could be arranged,"

"We need to find another way out of here… we can't use the same tunnel… the other end could be crawling with shogunate guards!" Mitsune said with a hand under her chin.

"True… Otohime-san… is there another way out of here?" Naru inquired.

Mutsumi looked over, then paused for a moment then said, "Why not use the front door?"

"Argh! We can't use the front door!"

"Ara, ara! Why not? Well… if you don't want the front door we can always jump at one of the temple walls… there's one that I kept hidden because I don't want the guards to see me go out and look for some nice plants I'd like to add to my flower bed!"

"Er? Are you telling us that you've escaped before?" Mitsune frowned.

"Ara, ara! Many times! It was quite fun outside… but then again… who'd take care of my watermelons?"

"You mean to say… you stayed here because of your watermelons!"

"Ara, ara! Wouldn't you fight for your watermelons?"

Mitsune groaned, "I give up…"

---

The group, led by the priestess of the Otohime legends made their way through the complex maze of the temple building.

Naru was able to recognize the rooms where in they could safely stay as they let the shogunate guards pass by. Mutsumi on the other hand surprised the girls once again, to be so accurate and serious at a crucial moment like this. Although she kept on glancing at Keitaro making sure that the watermelons he was carrying was safe and secure.

Because in able to placate Mutsumi's reluctance to leave her watermelons, the girls forced Keitaro to carry four watermelons that was caringly wrapped by Mutsumi herself on strong fish nets. And Keitaro was having a hard time keeping up considering that one of the watermelons was of square shape with the edge that kept hitting him rather painfully at the back.

Mutsumi led them to a dark hall that seemed to go deeper and steeper.

Then at the end of the hall was another room.

It was a well lighted room with a light fragrant scent in the air.

Then at the end of the room filled with soft pillows, cushions and green plants was an old woman sitting on a larger chair.

She looked over with her eyes closed and smiled, "Ohayo Mutsumi-chan… escaping are you?"

The group froze.

Mutsumi stood from her crouching position and cheerfully said, "Ara, ara! Yes we are granny! And I hope we didn't disturb you… we just want to pass by because the wall we're after is just behind you!"

The older woman's eyebrows rose and then she smiled, "I didn't know there's a way out behind me… hmmm… I better let you and your friends go then… hurry now… you wouldn't want to be caught now do you?"

The group let out a sigh of relief to see that their plan of escape would be free of pursuing shogunate guards. Their spirits rose as their chance to leave the temple was just a few feet away.

Motoko paused and turned to the old lady, she knelt beside her and whispered, "Grandmother… we are-,"

"I know what you are here for… you are the rescuers sent by Kameyama… and how is that young emperor of ours nowadays?" the old woman said with gentleness that touched Motoko's heart. Her eyes were still closed as if all-seeing, all-knowing.

Motoko felt sad and guilty. She does not want to leave the old lady behind.

The old lady smiled, "You don't have to feel guilty… you know that I would only slow your pace. And with my declining health… there's no reason for me to leave the temple. I will meet death at these halls…"

Motoko looked up and then bowed reverently and it wasn't because of the woman's old age but because of the aura that seemed to reach out, that presence that indicates the old woman's important stature… of years of wisdom and experience… of hidden power.

Then Motoko stood and followed the others who were now scampering through a small garden patch behind a wooden cover.

She didn't realise that Keitaro stayed behind.

---

Keitaro could only shiver.

There was a frightening familiarity in the atmosphere that he could not comprehend. The hair behind his neck was sticking out; there were goose bumps on his skin. And his hand would not stop shaking.

And before him was the old lady.

Looking at him with eyes closed and kind smile… an all knowing smile.

"Are you alright child?" the old woman said.

Keitaro looked around.

His eyes and ears were suddenly bombarded with noises and images.

Keitaro knelt on the floor with his head between his hands. He moaned not of pain but of fear. He could feel something in the air. It seemed to breathe all around him. It was a terrifying experience.

"What… what is… happening to me?" Keitaro whispered through his violent shivers.

Then another image came to his mind. Even with his eyes closed he could see it as clearly as if he was looking directly at it. And he could not close it. He could not take his vision away from it.

--- _'Let's make a promise Kei-kei!'_

_'Let's promise that we'll go to Tokyo U together okay!'  
_

_--- 'Wow… these are nice cookies Shinobu!'_

_'Auuuu… I know its bad… I just made them this morning and it's the first time I baked cookies…'_

_'What are you saying Shinobu? These are great cookies! I'll be a happier man if I could eat meals like this everyday!'  
_

_--- 'Let go of me! I'd rather drown in the hot springs than be saved by you!'_

_'You've got a fever! What if you get worst Motoko?'_

_'It's none of your business!'_

_'Yes it is my business because… because… I'm the apartment manager now WORK WITH ME!'  
_

_--- 'Keitaro, what are you doing?'_

_'She needs me Naru… Kaolla needs me… I can't let her fight like this… her body can't take it anymore!'_

_'But Keitaro you could get killed!'_

_'Do not meddle in this fight shorty! This is between me and my sister!'_

_'Don't you get it Kaolla… there is no need for you to hurry… you are alright just the way you are'  
_

_--- 'I want to be with you Keitaro,'_

_'I want to go to Tokyo U with you…'  
_

Keitaro screamed.

---

"What was that?" Naru turned.

The girls paused for a moment.

They have already climbed out of the ladder and over the wall that was covered with thick moss. Mutsumi's description was accurate and her reassurance that the wall would be devoid of shogunate guards was proven correct. They were already on their way downhill towards the cluster of trees when Naru heard something.

Mutsumi was the first to notice that something was amiss, "Where are my watermelons?"

"MASTER!" Moe cried.

Mitsune gasped, "Kami! Could it be possible that Keitaro was captured?"

"It was Keitaro! I heard Keitaro scream!" Naru cried and began running back uphill again towards the wall.

But Motoko stopped her.

"Stay here with the others Naru… I'll go and get him…" Motoko said and then turned to Moe, "Moe… I want you to act as the rear guard," then to Mutsumi, "Otohime-san, please lead them to a secure hiding place…"

Mutsumi nodded, "I know a place…"

Then Motoko turned to Kaolla, "Kaolla… I want you to remember this place… when all of you are settled properly I want you to return here in a couple of moments to guide us to the hiding place…"

Kaolla smiled, "You can count on me Motoko,"

"Please… all of you… be careful…" Motoko said before facing the hill.

"Motoko…"

"Yes Naru-sempai?" Motoko glanced at Naru as she prepared herself for a possible confrontation.

"Please… bring Keitaro back… bring Keitaro back to us…" A pleading note was evident on Naru's voice.

Motoko nodded reassuringly and whispered, "I intend to,"

Then without another word Motoko launched herself. She disappeared beyond the trees and shrubs, leaving nothing but parted leaves on her trail. There was a slight anticipation as the girls waited.

Then Mutsumi called for their attention and once again began their way downhill, wary of shogunate guards that could be waiting in ambush.

---

Motoko wiped her brows.

Gasping for air, she looked up and sized the height of the wall that she needs to climb. On the other side of the wall it was easier because of the ladder and that the ground was slightly higher than on the other side where there was a sharp slope downhill.

She shook with anticipation and anxiousness. She tried her best to cover that weariness in front of the others as she doesn't want to cause panic. But she has already made a decision. She would do whatever it takes to get Keitaro back, no matter what the circumstances would be.

_Just hang on Keitaro… I'll get you! I'll get you back!_

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay as because of the holidays I have been quite busy. I intend to finish this story as soon as possible. I hope that everyone had a very merry Christmas… mine's quite boring… because I was working that night (so sad) anyway… this chapter is basically the pinnacle of the so-called 'revelation'… the next one would be the continuation of that revelation so stay tune and it will be published this week as I have clearly shown that I publish at least once every week. Well don't worry… if you are surprised with this chapter… just imagine how it would be when the Mongols finally invade Aoyoma's village! 

I wish all a prosperous New Year! Cheers and more cheers!

nivremous


	14. xiv

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XIV**

---

Kanako shivered.

There was something in the atmosphere that was frighteningly unnatural. The wind seemed colder, the air damp and heavy. The once hot afternoon was suddenly replaced by a cold and misty sunset. Heavy, black clouds were clustering above the temple.

Kanako shivered again as she stealthily moved from one room to another of the seemingly empty temple. Something was happening around her and she could feel it inside her skin. For her, it was a bad omen.

The loud silence was unbearable.

Then it was broken by a scream.

Kanako dashed towards the end of the dark hall unsheathing her short sword in one quick motion ready to strike.

And she froze at what she saw.

It was Keitaro kneeling on the floor trembling with pure terror, his hands around his head.

Kanako watched wide eyed as he stood shakily and waved his hand furiously around him as if he was warding off unseen beings. There was an empty look in his large round eyes, looking around in circles as if he was completely at lost of where he was.

"Oni-chan…" Kanako whispered as she stepped forward, her hand reaching out to touch him, her heart aching with pity to see him at such state.

"DO NOT TOUCH HIM KANAKO-CHAN!"

Kanako glanced towards her grandmother sitting on the wide chair. There was a deep frown on her face, her eyes closed and her lips pursed, concentrating hard at the strange event that was unfolding before her.

"Why grandma Hina? Why? What is happening to him?" Kanako asked as she fought hard to control her emotions. She would have given anything to comfort him.

"He is struggling to come out… the powers within him are trying to break free," grandma Hina said, "This is a very precarious moment… if we interfere… he may kill us all,"

"What!"

"It is my presence my child… he is responding to my presence. His power is reaching out to the blood within me…"

"Will he… will he be alright?" Kanako trembled at the thought of her oni-chan wielding his sword to kill her… kill all of them.

"He will be… in time… he is one of us after all. He will settle soon and we will be ready for him. He will soon be awaken… there is much to talk about,"

---

Keitaro was oblivious of what was happening around him inside the temple.

For he was not inside the temple at all.

He was on a strange land.

It was a land surrounded by oddly dressed people. There were strange looking carriages filled with people moving around on their own. There were structures that stood as high as the tallest oak trees of the northern mountains. And what fascinated him were the shiny objects that seemed to envelope it.

It was not Japan yet it felt like Japan.

And it disturbed him to notice that with all the oddly dressed people weaving around a seemingly contained forestry riddled with stones and hard decorated ground, there were no samurais.

Not one of them was carrying a sword.

Then there was a loud booming sound.

Keitaro panicked and covered his ears. He looked around frantically like a madman searching for the source of such terrible noise.

Then he saw a large shadow passing on the ground.

He looked up.

And he almost fainted.

It was the biggest bird he has ever seen.

Keitaro shouted an alarm pointing at the sky. But the oddly dressed people around him seemed to ignore the sight. They seemed to ignore the incredible noise it made. They seemed to completely ignore him.

"We're going to be late you idiot!"

Keitaro quickly turned towards the voice and muttered his surprise, "Narusegawa!"

But the girl ignored him. She passed him and reached the stone steps without even looking his way. She turned and then shouted, "KEITARO WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE!"

Keitaro frowned. He stepped forward wanting desperately to ask what was happening but then he stopped when another voice spoke behind him.

"You're not supposed to be here you know,"

Keitaro turned around.

And he came face to face with a young man looking straight at him… at him.

"What do you mean?" Keitaro asked.

"You don't belong here…" the young man said impassively, his eyes of brown hue were staring directly at Keitaro.

"Where am I?"

"Tokyo U,"

"Tokyo U?"

Then the young man smiled and said, "You need to wake up…"

"Huh?"

Then he leaned closer to Keitaro and whispered, "Do not let your anger get to you… you're way stronger than that… everything happens for a reason… look beyond that reason… and you'll see what your mind wouldn't let you see,"

"What do you mean?" Keitaro looked around and he found his world suddenly fade into haziness. Even the young man before him seemed to fade. Keitaro raised his arm only to be met by thin air. He asked, "Who are you?"

The fading young man smiled again, "Keitaro… Keitaro Urashima,"

---

The first thing that Keitaro noticed was that the noise has disappeared.

The bright surrounding has suddenly dissolved into a pale lighting. He could see the wooden walls, the pillows on the floor and the darkness of lightless corridors.

Then it dawned to him where he was.

He was back.

"Do you know where you are?"

Keitaro looked up and found the old lady looking at him with the ever closed thin eyes. And beside her was Kanako.

Keitaro croaked an answer, "Te… temple… northern temple,"

He shivered.

It was terribly cold inside the room.

"Do you know who I am?"

Almost immediately Keitaro answered, "Hina… grandma Hina," then realization dawned to him.

Grandma Hina smiled, "It's been a while Keitaro… you have grown quite a bit…"

Keitaro opened his mouth to say something but he closed it again when he realized there was no point in asking the obvious.

Grandma Hina nodded reading exactly what was on Keitaro's mind, "You've been searching for me my child… and now… I'm here,"

Keitaro glanced towards Kanako, "And I suppose you are part of this,"

Kanako nodded only slightly then avoided his cold glare.

"What's going on? What's happening to me?" Keitaro asked raising his fist in fury, "I saw… I saw the strangest thing…"

"You saw the future…" Grandma Hina said calmly.

Keitaro looked up and then slowly nodded. What he saw could never belong in this era. Not even in a hundred years. But somehow part of him knew. Part of him has always known and that he has been given the chance to see what he was not supposed to see. _You're not supposed to be here… you need to wake up._

_Who are you?_

_Keitaro._

_Keitaro Urashima._

"Who am I? … What am I?"

Grandma Hina shifted in her seat. She breathed slowly and then calmly said, "I will tell you a tale… a tale of a young man who started it all…"

"A… young man,"

"I will tell you the story of the Legend of the Urashima clan,"

---

Seven hundred years ago, during the turmoils of warring clans all over Japan, a gaijin arrived from the China Sea wearing nothing but rags as his clothing.

The locals challenged the stranger from the foreign sea. But for some odd reason nobody could apprehend the young man. He has shown the most extraordinary skills. His speed was impossible… faster than any skilful warriors has even accomplished. His strength was not of this world… stronger than any wild ox in the land of the Gods. And he used only one weapon with ungodly expertise… a short sword.

Warriors felled one challenge after another. Until finally the young man was standing before the castle of the most powerful family in the land unhindered and unopposed. At this time his deadly skills has spread like wildfire all over Japan. Everybody feared him.

And from then on the young man has single-handedly installed the imperial family. He has united the warring clans and forced them into allegiance with the empire. He has destroyed opposing clans. He has completely annihilated rebellion.

With him were the five powerful clans of the land who rode beside him under the banner of the emperor. Apprentices to the powerful and deadly skills the young man possessed.

It was a dark age for Japan where killing was a common sight and battles raged from one ground to another.

The young man never lost.

Then all of a sudden after years of bloody conflict the killing stopped.

The young man has fallen inlove.

He has fallen inlove with one of the imperial councillor's daughter.

And that love blossomed.

The raging heart of the young man has finally been tamed. And after years of courtship, the young man's persistence was answered by the young maiden. They were betrothed to be married.

But the engagement was fiercely opposed by the young maiden's father.

And so the young maiden was married off to another.

She left the young man broken.

And at this time of weakness, the five powerful clans who have pledged loyalty with the empire seized this moment to finally subdue the ever powerful young man.

And he was branded a traitor.

After one last desperate battle for survival, the young man fled and was never seen again.

---

"That young man lived in the northern mountains of Japan in secrecy. He left the politics of the empire and the warring clans. He lived a normal life wherein he managed to raise a family of his own. He toiled the land and he survived. But he left a legacy that the empire and warring clans tried desperately to eliminate…"

"A legacy… what is that legacy grandma Hina?"

Grandma Hina shook from her reverie and said, "It does not matter… what matters is that you are part of that family the young man started…"

"I… I'm part of that family?"

Grandma Hina nodded, "Yes… the young man's name is… Keitaro Urashima,"

"Keitaro… Urashima,"

"Yes… you are named after our ancestor… the very first Urashima in Japan… you are an Urashima just like me,"

Keitaro looked up, "I am… Keitaro Urashima,"

Grandma Hina nodded, "And within you are the very same skills and powers that our ancestor had… the foresight… the speed… the incredible strength… you have everything… for you are a direct descendant of that young man… that young man who had once been the most powerful warrior in all of Japan…"

"But why? Why are you telling me now? Why just now?"

"Because you need to finally be awaken Keitaro… Japan needs you once more…"

"What happened to our family? If you are related to me… then why just now? Why are you here? What happened to us? Where are my father and mother? Do I have a sister or a brother? Why can't I remember who I am?" Keitaro burst out. His eyes were streaming with tears.

He has finally discovered who he really was. But along with that discovery was the realisation that he was alone. And he felt that loneliness choking him with sadness. He was an Urashima. But what happened to his clan? He wanted to know. He needed to know.

"The Urashima clan has been destroyed fifteen years ago…"

Keitaro shivered.

"Our family has been destroyed… and you have been spared because… because I erased your memories… you were saved by the emperor during the furious times of inquisition. But because no one could tell who you really well… you were saved… nobody knew who you were… not even you…"

Keitaro knelt on the ground.

And Keitaro cried.

He cried for he finally understood what he had lost. He finally understood the emptiness that he had carried for so long. He mourned for his lost fifteen years too late.

---

Motoko was gasping for air.

She was shocked.

She leant on to the wooden wall as she retold the whole story in her mind. And she shook with fear; hugging herself closer feeling the coldness of the air around her. She heard what she was not supposed to hear.

And she didn't know what to do.

For one of the five powerful clans who pledged their loyalty to the emperor seven hundred years ago was the Aoyoma clan.

Her clan betrayed the first Keitaro Urashima.

Her clan persecuted the man who has united Japan.

And her clan was also responsible for the destruction of the Urashimas fifteen years ago.

---

Tsuruko turned. She felt a presence nearby.

Her hand slowly and cautiously held the hilt of a hidden sword underneath the folds of her lavender kimono as she scanned the darkness of her room.

Then she saw a shadow move closer to her.

Tsuruko readied herself to strike.

Then the shadow smiled.

"There's no need for that Tsu-chan…" the voice said soothingly.

Tsuruko raised an eyebrow. Then a smile broke on her face. There was only one person who called her Tsu-chan.

"Show yourself Amalla… you have not changed at all… you still tease me the way you do when we were still playmates at the northern temple!" Tsuruko said gleefully containing the happiness in her heart.

Then a woman appeared before her. Her smooth skin was of shining brown and her long hair was of sparkling silver. She was wearing a strange dress with three eye emblems woven on the hems of the long skirt.

The woman smiled, "And you still kept on jumping like the fox you are!"

Tsuruko reached out and hugged her friend, "Amalla… it's good to see you…"

Amalla withdrew and her smiling face turned into a serious tone, "I hate to bring alarming news to you Tsu-chan…"

Tsuruko took the cue. Amalla lived in a far away kingdom. Her presence could only mean that something terrible was about to happen or was happening. She nodded for her friend to continue.

"Haruka has returned to Japan," Amalla said impassively.

Tsuruko shivered.

And it took her awhile to recover, "When… how…"

"She was last seen boarding a Mongolian invasion ship,"

Tsuruko's face darkened. She whispered, "Is this her doing? Is the Mongolian invasion her plan to finally carry out her vengeance against Japan?"

Amalla shook her head, "I could not say. The Mongolians feared her. She might have assisted them in some way… but it could also mean that she just used the Mongolians to return to Japan…"

Tsuruko walked towards the window that faced the China Sea.

"She has come to kill us one by one… every single one of us…" Tsuruko bowed her head. Her sadness apparent, "I guess… I'll just have to accept the fact that she will always hate us for abandoning her in time of her need… she would never know how Seta risked his life to spare her… how he managed to convince his clan on the pain of death to banish Haruka overseas rather than execute her like all the other legends,"

"It could be the reason why she has returned… and I pray to Kami that it was all she was planning to do… I would rather let her kill me than let her accomplish what I think she was planning to do…"

Tsuruko raised her head in confusion, "What do you mean Amalla?"

"The Urashima blade is missing…"

Tsuruko's eyes widened in fear, she trembled and for once in her life she was truly afraid, "How… how could that be? How could the Urashima blade be missing? Maybe it has been passed to another land or another kingdom… Keitaro Urashima himself made sure that the sword would never return to Japan…"

"And the legends recounts that the Urashima blade can only be held by Keitaro Urashima himself… anybody else who try to hold the sword will die…"

"Then it is impossible for the sword to be missing…"

Amalla shook her head, "I hope it's that simple… the Urashima blade went missing… then Haruka was seen boarding a Mongolian ship bound to conquer Japan… it only meant one thing…"

"It can't be! Haruka will never have the strength or the power to hold the sword. The sword will eat her… the sword will destroy her before she reach Japan!"

"Yet she is here… what if she found a way to carry the sword without it consuming her flesh… what if she discovered a way to tame the power of the sword… she is an Urashima after all… and she has the power as all other Urashimas has…"

Tsuruko was still unconvinced or she refused to believe what she heard, "Even if she managed to carry it to Japan… so what? She can never wield it! Keitaro Urashima is the only man who can carry the cursed sword! And the last Urashima was killed fifteen years ago… a boy named Keitaro was killed fifteen years ago!"

"But we are not certain of that… the body has never been found. It was only a rumour spread by samurais wanting to gain attention and fame among the powerful warlords during the terrible inquisition… what if the boy survived the chaos… what if that boy has grown not knowing who he was… what if the boy has grown waiting for Haruka to return…"

"How can you be so sure Amalla? How can you be so sure that Haruka has returned to finally unleash the curse that our ancestors have painstakingly tried to prevent?"

"I could feel her… and you know full well… I have never been wrong. I have done all I could to find her… I have sent countless spies all over China and Mongolia to search for her and I have sent so many pilgrims to watch over the Urashima blade… and yet… with all these…"

Tsuruko shook again. The Mongolian invasion seemed a memory to her. It meant nothing to her now that she discovered that a far greater threat was upon Japan. And it would be much more devastating than anything she could imagine.

The Urashima Curse was upon them.

If the Urashima blade returned to the hands of its master, Keitaro Urashima… it would mean the destruction of Japan. It would mean the fulfilment of the Urashima Curse. The terrible legacy left by Keitaro Urashima himself seven hundred years ago.

They don't stand a chance.

---

Grandma Hina sighed.

It has been quite a while since Keitaro, Kanako and Motoko left the temple. And now she found herself feeling rather lonely inside the cavernous room. She could not hear the usual noise of the shogunate guards. But that did not worry her for she had seen what would happen tonight.

And she would give all she could even her life to prevent the dreadful events that would soon befall Japan.

The Urashima Curse was upon them.

And the one person who would make it all happen was now standing before her.

Haruka.

Haruka Urashima.

Haruka smiled reading exactly what was on grandma Hina's mind, "They also called me lady Yuki…"

Grandma Hina almost cried. This was the first time she had seen her daughter for more than eighteen years. And to see her standing before her consumed with lust for vengeance broke her heart. What has become of her sweet innocent your Haruka?

"Your young Haruka has been banished overseas…" Haruka smirked, "she learned the harsh way how to survive on her own at the age of ten… she learned how to fend off cruel men on her own… and she could think of nothing else but returning to Japan exacting the same cruelty to the same people who banished her… all she could think of now was vengeance towards the clans who destroyed her family… OUR FAMILY!"

Grandma Hina raised her head and stared her teary eyes towards the woman in long black cloak, "Do not be afraid my child…" grandma Hina closed her eyes and whispered, "In the future… you will be loved by the very man who betrayed you… he will show you love the way he showed you love when he saved you from death…"

"I WOULD HAVE CHOSEN DEATH!" Haruka screamed with pure hatred.

"My child… you will have a family who would respect you and…"

"YOUR PREDICTIONS MEAN NOTHING TO ME OLD WOMAN! WHAT MATTERS TO ME IS WHAT I FEEL NOW!"

Then she raised her right arm.

Grandma Hina's eyes opened wide.

A black blade was shiningly darkly with black fumes circling around it, snaking all over its long length. There was an eerie sound emanating from it as if it was humming a sad song. And it was held by a foul smelling rotting cloth covered hand.

Haruka's right hand has turned deep black.

Grandma Hina trembled, "Haruka… your hand… the sword is eating your hand!"

"I know… but the pain is nothing compared to the pain that I feel in my heart… they were my friends… and yet they betrayed me… they betrayed me the same way their ancestors betrayed the first Keitaro Urashima…"

Grandma Hina could only shiver.

"It is time for revenge grandma Hina… it is time to show them the true nature of the Urashima Curse… I will find Keitaro… and Keitaro will unleash the hatred the first Keitaro Urashima felt seven hundred years ago…

… Keitaro Urashima will destroy Japan!"

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay! I just hope you enjoyed the revelations on this chapter and ofcourse I encourage you to hang on long enough for more revelations! There are stories within stories on this fanfic of mine and I admit that this is my biggest project to date. I was actually planning to write a separate fic about the Legend of the Urashima clan… the true tales behind the ancestors of the Love Hina crew.

I would like to extend my gratitude to all my reviewers who are kind enough to leave a note. 2004 has been a very exciting fanfiction writing year for me as my fics have all been accepted and well reviewed. I hope 2005 bring everyone good fortune and prosperity!

Cheers and more cheers to all!

nivremous


	15. xv

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XV**

---

It was a beautiful dawn.

The sky was a hue of dark blue and black and the sun was about to climb the cloudless sky. The sea was dark, calm and foggy and the mist of morning dew was evaporating slowly into thin air. There was a lush soothing scent in the air as nature prepared itself for another day in the land of the Gods.

And it was a day that would forever change Japan.

A peasant was busy preparing tea. He has been thinking about the land that he has been farming for almost a year now. And he was hoping that the Aoyoma clan would allow him to extend the borders of his farm after drafting as a warrior to defend the village. He sighed and looked down. He studied the blunt sword he was given as his weapon. And he grunted his disgust. He mumbled for the first time that fateful morning his conviction that he was not a murdering bastard who takes advantage of the weak but a peaceful farmer who prays nothing more than an abundant harvest.

The peasant touched the clay bowl and judged whether the water was hot enough for his tea leaves. He looked around and snorted as he observed his fellow 'warriors' sleeping like dirty mongrels of the high mountains. They were not warriors. They were all peasants forced or bribed to take up arms against an enemy they have not seen before. For him it would have been easier to fight fellow Japanese. At least there was honor dying in the hands of a foe you know well.

He looked up and stared at the ragged line of ground holes that has been dug a few paces away from the sandy shore. Each dugout has three to four poorly armed drafted warriors, sleeping and snoring. He shrugged the thought that they were supposed to be the foremost defensive line of the whole samurai army defending the village.

Even though they were ill-equipped, ill-trained and wholly unprepared for war, the peasant has nothing to worry for they were led by a number of very capable samurais. And they were not just any shogunate or imperial samurais. He felt extreme pride knowing that they were all led by Aoyoma samurais.

The peasant touched the clay bowl again and this time he nodded in approval. He smiled as he opened a cloth he produced underneath his garment. He found the tea leaves on the high mountains months before he started to farm his land. And the tea it made was the best he has ever tasted.

There was a loud snore.

The peasant looked around and laughed to himself. The sun would come out soon and the samurais would start waking them up. And for him it was the most unpleasant experience. Being kicked like a dog was not something he looked forward to in a fresh morning like today.

Then there was a faint noise.

The peasant cocked his head up.

It was very faint but it sounded like an echo coming from the sea. So the peasant scanned the sea rubbing his sleepy eyes all the while. It was still foggy and dark.

He yawned then stretched himself, relished the gratifying feeling.

He really needed that tea.

Then he heard a screeching noise.

The peasant looked up again. But this time his sleepiness was replaced by alarm. He fervently searched for the source of the screeching noise that grew louder and louder.

Then a round object came shooting furiously from the sky right and into one of the dugouts.

A tremendous explosion rocked the beach.

The peasant stared open-mouthed; his body froze with astonishment.

As the cloud of dirt and sand parted, the dugout where the object from the sky landed became wider. There were black marks around it and black smoke lingered from the explosion. The dugout's occupants were nowhere to be found. It was empty except for traces of blood… and body parts.

The peasant trembled.

The peasant shivered violently.

Then the loud unnatural silence that followed was broken by several screeching noises that seemed to echo one after another.

Seeing cruel death for the first time after years of blissful ignorance toiling his land in the mountains, the peasant broke and began screaming like a madman, "THE MONGOLS ARE COMING!"

And his scream was cut short when his dugout exploded.

---

The Mongolians invasion of Japan mainland has begun.

---

The Mongolians anchored their gigantic ships well away from land and began catapulting numerous gunpowder covered shell bombs into the shore. These shells, aptly named "heaven-shaking devices" or chien-t'ienlie, were made with twice the amount of gunpowder that produced visible devastating results.

During the destruction of the beach, the Mongolians prepared their boats for a surprise massive land invasion. They intend to overrun the defenders and drive them back inland where they could annihilate them piece by piece. The boats were filled with heavily armed warriors and wild horses eager to start the battle.

The fury of the Mongols will soon be realised.

---

The samurais made a decision.

They decided to retreat inland to prevent further bloodshed. They were completely unmatched. The Mongolian bombs were something they were completely unprepared for. Catching the shaken defenders by surprise it decimated almost half of the defending force. And the defenders didn't have the weapon to fight back because the Mongolian ships were well out of arrow range. All they could do was watch helplessly as their comrades killed one after another as terrible screeching noises filled the air and the ground exploded in every direction. They could do nothing.

The defenders retreated.

---

"All the villagers has been evacuated my lady,"

Tsuruko turned towards the swordswoman dressed in heavy armour. Tsuruko smiled, "Thank you very much Ryoma-chan. I suppose you should go to your post now,"

The swordswoman bowed and left without a word.

And when she was absolutely sure she was alone, Tsuruko bowed and sighed.

She felt so fragile. The loneliness was choking her and her vulnerability was overwhelming.

It has been four days since the Mongols ransacked the Iki Island. And the Aoyoma clan have amassed less than a hundred peasants to be added on the main defence battalion. A group of horsemen arrived yesterday but they only amounted to fifty armed samurais. And there were only twenty Aoyoma samurais who could fully practise the secret sword arts technique. All in all they have only less than seven hundred warriors to defend the village against thousands of ruthless and battle-hardened Mongolians supported with advanced weaponry.

Tsuruko sighed and composed herself.

She reached out for her sword and armour. This was not the time to be weak she told herself. This was the time to fight. Years of training and centuries of swordsmanship were at stake at this day of battle. The honour of Aoyoma clan would prevail.

_We just have to hold long enough… help is on its way…_ Tsuruko thought as she donned her armour.

---

It took the Mongolians half of the morning to finally put all of the warriors, horses and land artillery on shore. Other Mongolian ships were still on their way and some have stayed on the smaller islands.

The Mongolian invasion boats were preceded by a number of scouts who started burning the closest trees and houses creating a ring like barrier against any Japanese who might decide to attack them.

Fortunately for the Mongolians the Japanese kept themselves busy preparing to 'defend' their village.

There was a wide plain surrounded by high hills before the village proper. The Mongolians would have to cross it as the beach was surrounded by thick forest trees making it unsuitable both for their horses and their land artillery.

The Mongolian generals predicted that the hill would be heavily defended. And so their only course of action was to break through using the bombs and the brutal force of the cavalry. The Mongolians took pride with their wild horsemen that have pushed several kingdoms to its knees.

The catapults were wheeled towards the plains.

---

Amalla has ordered a camp to be erected on the highest hill covered with thick oak trees and stones. The hill has a commanding view of the plains and it was well hidden from sight.

The samurais equipped themselves with bows and arrows and laid low behind the hill rocks waiting for the Mongolians to attack.

---

Hol Don scanned the plains and the hill. He was surrounded by his generals.

He smirked, "The Japanese dogs are entrenched on that hill…"

"I thought so too… we could try to attack them on their flank through that hill," One of the generals pointed to the highest hill on the left where it was surrounded by thick forestry. He could see that his warriors could climb it on foot and they could use the massive rocks that jutted from the ground as cover.

Hol Don shook his head. He does not approve of clever tactics to defeat the enemy. He was a firm believer of head on confrontation as it is his own belief that honour could only be measured through sheer courage and strength and not with devious cunning.

"I want all our bombs concentrated on that hill before us. Give it only a few rounds. Then unleash the heavy cavalry straight through!" Hol Don pointed straight front.

"But sir…"

Hol Don glared at the general and pointed at the hill, "The enemy is right there in front of us. I am not going to look for another way to fight him. I will not attack left or right of him. I will attack right where he is sitting. I will attack him right in his face. He is there and that means I will destroy him there!"

The general bowed quickly, "I apologize, my lord. I will commence the attack in a few moments,"

Hol Don nodded. His eyes a fiery red of battle frenzy, "Good. Destroy them general. KILL THEM ALL!"

---

The catapults began throwing bombs.

The hill was suddenly exploding in every direction. The samurais kept their head low. Clenching their teeth through the horrible ordeal as death whizzed by them a hair's breath away from a terrible painless death that could tear their bodies into pieces.

Most of the exploding ceramic balls passed beyond the hill and into the village proper, causing devastation to the houses and farms as the ball exploded, destroying everything on its path. The air was filled with screeching noises that sent even the bravest of the samurais into their knees praying to Kami that the next explosion would not be anywhere near them.

It was death screaming at them.

But the samurais never wavered. They kept their fears inside them and sat through the explosions without even flinching. No one ran away or flee from the battle. For all they know, the battle has just begun.

And then suddenly the catapults stopped.

A loud silence crept into the plains.

Then the earth trembled.

A loud blood-churning scream echoed through the whole plains.

The Mongolian cavalry was coming.

---

Ryoma shook her head. She was trying to shake the pain away from her ears. A shell exploded a few paces from her which sent her reeling onto her protective rock. She quickly felt her body making sure that everything was still intact – legs, arms, ears… everything. And then she cocked her head up when she heard the scream. It made her skin crawl.

Slowly and cautiously she peered from her rock.

And she froze.

Right before her were thousands and thousands of heavily armoured Mongolians riding huge ferociously snarling similarly armoured horses. They thundered through the plains and towards the hill.

_We're all going to die!_ Ryoma thought as for the first time that day she was truly afraid.

Then she heard an order.

A gentle but strong voice amidst the chaos of the charging enemy.

"ARROWS READY!"

Ryoma looked up and saw their clan leader standing in the middle of the hill wearing her ancient armour with the family crest embedded on its chest. She had her sword raised high in the air with her eyes dancing with battle fury.

Tsuruko looked menacing.

The samurais followed the order, pointed the arrows towards the sky and stretched the strings to the fullest.

And they all waited.

Ryoma looked down again and was alarmed to see the horsemen getting closer and closer.

_They're getting closer! _Ryoma kept her mouth shut through her fear.

"HOLD EVERYBODY! MAKE ALL ARROWS COUNT! SHOOT THE HORSES FIRST!" Tsuruko shouted through the trampling noise as the Mongolian cavalry thundered their way cleanly through the plains unhindered screaming with blood lust.

Then Tsuruko slashed her sword down and screamed, "FIRE!"

Hundreds of arrows flew into air.

And then it descended onto the cavalry.

Several men and horses screamed in pain as most crumpled and rolled into the ground causing other horses to stumble upon them. A cascading wave carried through the whole trampling horde but only a third of them were affected. The Mongolians jumped their way through and continued their charge towards the hill.

_There's still too many of them! _Ryoma thought and then she heard scuffling noise close to her.

She turned towards the noise and gasped as she saw Aoyoma samurais rushing towards the charging Mongolian cavalry. And leading them was Tsuruko with her sword held high above her head.

Ryoma knew what she needed to do.

She unsheathed her sword and charged downhill towards the trampling cavalry screaming all the while.

"**AIR-SPLITTING SWORD!**"

"**ROCK-SPLITTING SWORD!**"

One by one the Aoyoma samurais unleashed their devastating secret sword arts technique that sent hundreds and hundreds of men and horses into the air. Explosions after explosions echoed through out the plains as the heat of the cavalry's charge quickly melted as series of powerful waves bore through them from every direction. The ground shook as clouds of dust rose into the air one after another.

The samurais and drafted peasants that were left on the hill watched with utter astonishment as the power of the Aoyoma clan destroyed the Mongolian cavalry.

They raised their swords and cheered.

---

A Mongolian general stood wide eyed as he stared at the retreating heavy cavalry. He muttered his astonishment, "What in the world is that?"

Hol Don stepped next to the general smiled, "The secret sword arts… just as lady Yuki has foretold,"

"Huh? You knew about this my lord?" the general turned and kept his growing anger inside him.

Hol Don leered, "Of course. Lady Yuki made me aware of it,"

"Then why the charge?"

"I need to see it for myself. Now I understand why the Japanese dogs feared these ladies. The secret sword art is powerful and very effective. They almost annihilated my heavy cavalry… too bad," Hol Don looked away.

The general fought hard to control his temper but he has to ask, "Then… what are you planning to do about this my lord?"

Hol Don turned and raised an eyebrow, "I will attack of course…"

"But you have seen their power! How can you attack again with that threat before us?"

Hol Don pointed to the plains, "Look… they're all women. Impressive as they are they are still human. They are tired… and they cannot outrun a horse…"

"You mean…"

"Yes… the light cavalry. I am sending the light cavalry and kill them all!"

---

Amalla was the first to see the danger.

Tsuruko and other Aoyoma samurais found themselves in the middle of the plains as they cut through the mass of heavy cavalry. The charge collapsed but that sent the samurais to their knees with complete exhaustion unable to move any further.

That was when another charge was called by the Mongolian army but this time it was not the same horsemen. These horsemen were lightly dressed and the horses were lightly protected. The danger became imminent when the riders began drawing their bows and arrows.

They were the Mongolian light cavalry.

And there were thousands of them.

Amalla shouted the order for arrows but the samurais refused to follow as they fear that they might shoot the Aoyomas by mistake in the melee. In simple words, Tsuruko and the others were trapped.

And when it seemed that all hope was lost a group of horsemen charged downhill.

The fifty imperial horsemen charged with fury as they raced to reach the Aoyomas before the Mongolian light cavalry.

And fortunately they reached the Aoyomas first with the Mongolian horsemen just a few paces away.

The imperial horsemen quickly divided themselves. One half carried the samurais and retreated while the other half clashed with the Mongolian light cavalry with swords.

Then the quick clash became a race for survival as the Mongolian cavalry quickly annihilated the imperial horsemen who resisted their attack and now was on the heel of the retreating imperial horsemen carrying the Aoyomas.

Amalla watched helplessly as the chase became futile.

The Mongolians started shooting and killed one imperial horseman after another.

"**BANZAI!**" _A thousand years._

The raging scream that rang through out the plains caught the Mongolian cavalry's attention.

And they all gaped… because right beside them were thousands of samurai horsemen charging directly into their exposed flanks with swords unsheathed and arrows ready to fire.

Amalla smiled and whispered, "Baka…"

Leading the newly arrived samurai horsemen was Kentaro Sakata screaming his battle cry.

The shogunate cavalry has arrived.

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I apologize for the delay! I tried to make this chapter as accurate as possible, although I made the liberty to change the settings to make it much more exciting than the real thing. How does it feel like to have Hina cast in the midst of battle? Weird, isn't it? I felt it too. This is just the first part of the Mongolian invasion. And of course everything will be revealed soon as there are only a few chapters left. I apologize again for the clumsy writing style at this kind of scene. I am not sure if I did it right or if it is satisfactory. Just let me know what you think.

And once again I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to those kind enough to leave a note. Because of you it felt like I am doing a good job. I just hope that you stick long enough to see what happens next… especially with a far greater threat is about to happen!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	16. xvi

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XVI**

---

"**BANZAI!**" _a thousand years!_

Kentaro screamed his battle cry as he waved his sword high in the air, charging his horse furiously down into the Mongolian light cavalry and behind him were thousands of samurai horsemen.

The shogunate army has arrived.

---

The Mongols swerved hard to the left to prevent the charging shogunate horsemen from rushing into their exposed flanks. The right-most Mongol horsemen quickly gathered themselves into a loose line of two horses deep to stop or atleast slow down the oncoming rush and give the main cavalry time to regroup.

They screamed their defiance.

They stretched their arrows and waited for the inevitable carnage.

---

"Shogunate samurais!" Ryoma shouted her disgust as she jumped down from her horse and watched the emerging battle on the plains.

The Aoyomas have reached the safety of the hill.

Tsuruko was called shortly after her arrival to formally meet the shogunate generals who came with Kentaro Sakata. They were all waiting at a nearby clearing while the rest of the shogunate foot soldiers were all gathered on the village awaiting orders. The timing of their arrival couldn't have been better.

---

Kentaro swayed to the left and dodged an arrow that came whistling a hairline away from his head.

Arrows suddenly came pouring into the charging shogunate horsemen as they closed in towards the first line of Mongolian light cavalry. Several shogunate samurais were killed and most were dragged away from their saddles. The air was filled with hissing sound of death as one after another men screamed both with blood lust and with dying pain.

And in less than three arrow shots the shogunate horsemen crashed into the Mongolians.

"KILL THEM ALL!" Kentaro screamed as he slashed his sword in a perfect arc, killing two Mongols in one blow.

The samurais followed Kentaro's lead and annihilated the small force that challenged them as Mongols died one by one, their bows and arrows completely useless in close combat against samurai swords.

---

"The runt's impressive…" Hol Don whispered.

A Korean warrior stood next to him, bowed and said, "My lord… we are ready and waiting for your command,"

"Good," Hol Don replied without looking at the Korean. He scanned the battle at the plains before him. He sighed then added, "Tell the generals that I will give the signal soon,"

"Very well my lord," the Korean bowed and left.

---

Soon after, the arrows started raining on them again.

Kentaro quickly scanned the plains and found that the main Mongolian light cavalry has assembled themselves in a battle line a few paces away, killing them at a distance; the main advantage of light cavalry.

_We have to keep them separated, _Kentaro thought as he slashed his sword upward to deflect arrows dropping down on him; _if we don't… we're no match at those arrows! We will all die!_

"TO ME! TO ME! TO ME!" Kentaro shouted and pointed his sword towards the Mongolians.

The shogunate horsemen understood the call; they cheered, shouted their fury and began rushing towards the new threat.

The Mongolians saw the samurais coming and feverishly started shooting at them. But the speed and excellent horsemanship of the samurais proved far better than the Mongolians expected as they managed to close the wide gap between them and effectively eliminated the arrows long distance killing range.

Kentaro was the first to breach the first line as he savagely beheaded the first Mongolian his sword could reach. He quickly swung his sword around to kill another Mongolian who tried to stab him with a short sword.

The carnage began.

Samurai swords flashed in the heat of the afternoon. Blood sprayed in every direction as men grunted and screamed. Horses whined and died.

The shogunate horsemen carved their way deeper into the Mongolian battalion line. They scattered their prey and quickly massacred them in every direction. The Mongolians light cavalry, ill-equipped for close combat fought back ferociously for survival with nothing more than knives and short swords.

The Mongolian light cavalry began to fall.

Then a booming sound echoed through out the plains.

---

The Mongolian side of the plains was suddenly filled with thousands and thousands of warriors that stretched from one end of the plain's entrance to another.

The first battalion line was consisted of well armoured warriors carrying human size metal shields with pikes protruding on the side. The battalion was five warriors deep, marching with slow deadly rhythm.

And behind this massive line was a battalion of menacing stocky swordsmen and pikemen.

And at the rear of this army were the lightly dressed long range archers equipped with long bows and arrows.

The Korean army has arrived.

---

"Tsuruko…" Amalla whispered. Her voice was lazed with concern.

_By Kami! There's so many of them!_

"Here they come, Amalla… here they come…" Tsuruko replied.

---

Kentaro swore.

When the booming sound echoed on the plains, the Mongolian light cavalry withdrew and disappeared beyond the Mongolian side. This unexpected action from the enemy made the samurais cheer their triumph thinking that the enemy has finally been defeated.

They thought wrong.

For after a few moments a long line of warriors emerged from the beach head. They appeared from one end of the plains to the other and covered the whole entrance. And when they marched forward, their numbers became apparent as they poured slowly into the entrance of the plain.

_We won't last long, _Kentaro thought as he watched the swarm of enemy soldiers marching their way towards them.

Kentaro swore again.

He made a decision.

"TO THE HILLS!" Kentaro ordered and trotted his way towards Aoyomas' defensive line.

---

"We're outnumbered ten to one…" One of the shogunate generals commented as he watched the seemingly long line of human wall marching in the middle of the plains towards the hill.

"Those shields will be very hard to breach… even with horses… it will be very difficult to force our way through that pikes," An Aoyoma samurai added.

Tsuruko nodded but kept silent. Beside her was Kentaro. They both tried to assess the predicament of their situation. They both hid their concern. Staring at the vast numbers of enemy foot soldiers neatly lined for battle, their stand to defend the village all seemed futile.

They don't stand a chance.

Then suddenly the air was filled with arrows.

"COVER!" One of the Aoyoma samurai shouted as the arrows started raining on them.

Several samurais were killed on the spot and a few more were wounded. The generals were forced to hide behind the trees and hill rocks.

"Long range arrows…" Tsuruko whispered as an arrow whistled passed her.

Kentaro nodded, crouching behind a boulder and said, "We cannot shoot back not until they reach the foot of the hill…"

"If they keep this up we won't be able to defend ourselves properly…"

"We'll have to wait for them to come closer… we'll have to fight up close,"

"That's right… we just need to push them back away from this hill… regroup and try to push them back again,"

Kentaro nodded grimly, "That's all we can do…"

---

The Korean army reached the foot of the hill.

The first line began their slow ascend towards the top, keeping themselves in line, shouting and screaming their foreign language to dishearten the defenders at the top. The long range archers ceased firing.

Then the defenders at the hill emerged and began shooting at the swarm of enemy soldiers at the foot of the hill.

But the enemy were also carrying metal shields and was able to minimize their casualty. Lifting their shields over their heads they managed to deflect arrows that came raining down on them. Then after a few moments the defenders stopped shooting.

The first enemy line was now only a few paces away from the top. Their human size thick metal shields at the front and pikes protruding on the side menacingly moved like a deadly impenetrable high wall ready to crush the defenders and push them back down to the village.

Then the Aoyomas began pouring down on them.

"**AIR SPLITTING SWORD!**"

Explosions after explosions tore through out the first enemy battalion line. Hundreds and hundreds of men, shields and pike were thrown into the air and into the swarm of enemy foot soldiers.

But this devastating power did not slow the enemy's advance. It merely rippled. And the advance began again. For every Korean thrown into the sky, he was quickly replaced by two more. And it seemed they have limitless numbers as they began throwing pikes at the closest Aoyomas, killing them in close range.

The Aoyomas retreated.

The samurais at the hill unsheathed their swords and prepared themselves to fight. They have already decided that they would fight every step of the way and they won't stop. They would fight to the last man.

The enemy's human wall was only five paces away and closing.

Then suddenly, a collective scream rang into the rising noise of the advancing Korean army.

Tsuruko looked behind her.

And smiled.

"**CHARGE!**" Seta shouted at the top of his lungs.

Then thousands and thousands of armoured samurais jumped over the hill and into the human wall.

The imperial army has arrived.

---

"Seta…" A cloaked figure appeared behind the shadow of a tree at the top of an opposite hill with a sufficient view of the plains and the Aoyomas defensive line.

There was a sudden glint of metal, a flash of white and then nothing.

"I never thought I'd see you again Seta-kun…" _You will suffer the way I suffered… YOU WILL ALL SUFFER!_

The figure disappeared behind the shadows.

---

Seta's battle rage flowed through out his body.

He moved with incredible speed as he led his samurais deeper in to the enemy's battalion, killing swiftly and ferociously. He has a long sword on his right hand and a short sword on his left, hacking his way in all direction. Even the enemy's shields were no match as he could slash it in half in a single blow followed by a quick stab of the short sword to kill the enemy in one successive motion.

He moved and killed and soon enough the enemy dared not to block his way.

The samurais fought ferociously as the first enemy line collapsed and the whole Korean army stepped back from the sudden emergence of thousands of samurais from the hill. But more and more enemy soldiers joined the melee of the first battalion as the pikemen withdrew and was replaced by enemy swordsmen.

And so the battle waged through the whole afternoon.

Then an explosion tore at the front as tens of enemy warriors flew in to the sky.

Seta smiled looking at the front, expecting to see Tsuruko.

But what he saw made him smile even wider.

He saw Motoko slashing her way into the melee.

She unleashed one secret technique after another sending any enemy swordsman who challenged her into the air. And behind her was a young man with rags as his clothing, slashed his short sword expertly, killing anybody who dared move behind Motoko. They were an effective pair.

Motoko and Keitaro have joined the battle.

---

"Who's that young man?" Amalla asked as she watched Tsuruko's younger sister join the battle.

Naru walked beside Amalla and replied, "We call him Keitaro…"

"Keitaro… who?"

Naru shrugged her shoulders, although there was a soft look on her face, an evident affection towards the young man, "He doesn't have a last name… although he is slightly related to the emperor… but he would not admit it…"

"Related to the emperor?" Amalla was very confused and intrigued.

Naru shook her head, "I'm sorry... It is not my place to speak of such matter. You would have to talk to him about it,"

Amalla understood and nodded. She turned towards the plains again and whispered, "There is something very familiar about that young man…"

---

Motoko and her group arrived shortly after Seta charged into the closing Korean army.

They instructed Shinobu, Kaolla and Moe to stay at the village while Naru, Mitsune and Mutsumi joined Amalla's camp at the top of the highest hill. Motoko quickly joined the battle and Keitaro followed her.

Tsuruko formally accepted the new arrivals and although she was quite unsure of Mutsumi's purpose they kept her away from the battlefield. They gave her a lot of watermelons to keep her occupied.

Mitsune supported the fighting Konno samurais. Flashing them her famous smile that sent the Konnos onto fits of battle frenzy. They cheered her and then rushed into the battle.

Naru on the other hand kept her eyes on Motoko and Keitaro as they slash their way deeper into the battlefield. She would occasionally gasp in extreme anxiety whenever she would glimpse Keitaro tripping and falling into the ground only to jump up again and slash at any enemy who dared step close to him.

And the battle waged on.

---

Hol Don cursed.

"When will the last fleet arrive?" his anger growing, he unsheathed his sword and cut his wooden table in half.

The aide trembled and replied shakily, "This… this… af… afternoon... my lord…"

Hol Don gritted his teeth and said, "They better get here soon… or else… I'll behead that damn Korean emissary myself!"

---

"Keitaro look out!" Motoko shouted as she slashed her sword at an enemy warrior about to stab Keitaro at the back.

"Thank you Motoko-chan!" Keitaro smiled and swung his short sword upward at a Korean who advanced before him.

Motoko blushed and felt infuriated with Keitaro's weird but somewhat comforting behaviour towards her. She could not understand why Keitaro joined the battle with her although she felt extremely at ease knowing that he was fighting beside her. She felt safe when he was around. And even if there were thousand more enemy soldiers swarming around them she would never be afraid because… because her Keitaro was here.

_My Keitaro?_ Motoko shook her head, _this is not the appropriate time to think about these trivial things!_ She scolded herself for being such a little girl and savagely deflected an enemy sword.

Then something changed.

She felt evil.

A menacing presence blew around her.

Motoko looked up and found a cloaked figure standing just a few paces away from her.

There was something very unusual about the figure. It seemed the figure was untouched by the carnage of the surrounding. The fighting men seemed to ignore the figure's presence. As if the figure does not exist at all, as if the figure was not standing in the middle of the battlefield.

Then the figure raised its hands and slowly unveiled itself.

Motoko found herself staring at a woman.

A woman with incredibly cold eyes.

Her short hair was of brown hue, her skin was pale.

And there was something very familiar about her face.

"Motoko, what's wrong?" Keitaro stood next to Motoko as he scanned the surrounding for any advancing enemy soldiers.

"Keitaro… look at that," Motoko pointed.

Keitaro turned his head at the direction and stared at the figure.

Then he froze.

The woman smiled.

And she said, "How are you my dear nephew?"

---

"SHE'S HERE!" Amalla shouted an alarm and ran towards Tsuruko who was busy lining the shogunate samurais behind the hill's boulder to counter attack any enemy soldiers who might decide to swarm the hill.

Tsuruko turned to find a very distressed Amalla, "What's wrong?"

"Haruka…" Amalla replied breathlessly, "Haruka… she's here!"

Tsuruko's eyes widened. She quickly ran at the top of the hill and scanned the battlefield.

And she saw her.

She saw Haruka standing in the middle of the raging battle.

"We don't have much time…" Tsuruko unsheathed her sword and charged, followed closely by Amalla.

---

Seta wiped his eyes.

He thought he was seeing ghosts or apparitions because for some odd reason he thought he saw someone.

Someone he thought he would never see again.

And yet, that someone was standing in the middle of the battlefield.

"Haruka?"

---

"It's time Keitaro…" the woman said.

Her voice was small but amazingly clear despite the noise of the battle around them.

Keitaro shook violently.

He dropped to the ground.

He threw his short sword aside and grabbed his head.

There were voices.

He felt so cold.

Motoko knelt next to him. She was absolutely terrified of what was happening. She saw this happen before and she doesn't know what to do, "Keitaro… are you alright?"

Keitaro shook his head violently and pushed Motoko savagely away, "STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

---

"What's going on out there?" Hol Don asked.

A disturbing aura suddenly grew in the middle of the battlefield. Dark clouds were forming above a particular place. And for some reason soldiers – Korean and Japanese warriors alike were avoiding the same area, as if they don't want to be in that place.

Hol Don could feel tremendous fear in the air.

Something terrible was about to be unleashed amidst the blood bath of the battle.

"Give me my horse," Hol Don ordered to a nearby aide.

But the aide was staring at the plains with absolute terror in his eyes. He shook his head and spoke with desperation, "My lord… I don't think it is a good idea to go there… we must leave!"

Hol Don stared at his aide with curiosity, _what could have scared this peasant of mine this much? What is out there? _"I will not ask you again. I command you to get me my horse!"

The aide shook, bowed and left.

Hol Don stared at the plains again. His hands began to tremble, "Evil. There is so much evil. What is going on?"

---

"KEITARO NO!" Naru shouted her concern.

"What's going on Naru?" Mitsune asked. She felt heaviness in her chest. She found her hand uncontrollably trembling with fear. And she was afraid. But afraid of what? Mitsune does not know.

"We have to get down there Mitsune! We have to get down there NOW!" Naru pleaded to her friend. Her eyes were on the verge of tears.

Mitsune scanned the battlefield and indeed she saw a wide space in the middle of the plains. This in itself was very odd. Because now, she could see that the warring soldiers has stopped fighting. They were now looking at something… at someone in the middle of that empty space.

Mitsune made a decision, "We better carry swords then… I have a very bad feeling about this… something is not right…"

"Don't go..."

"Huh?" Naru turned to see Mutsumi staring at the plains with a very dark and somewhat serious expression etched on her face.

"Don't go down there..." Mutsumi repeated. Her hands clutched tightly together pressed on her chest as if she was praying.

Mitsune glanced from Naru to Mutsumi. Then she said, "We have to know what's going on down there Mutsumi..."

Then suddenly the wind picked up speed.

"It's not safe to go down there. Something terrible is about to happen..." Mutsumi stepped before Naru.

But Naru would not give in. She would not leave Keitaro.

"I know… and I'm afraid… I'm afraid that…" Naru glanced at the plains, "I'm afraid that something terrible is happening to Keitaro,"

---

"Keitaro Urashima… I present you…" the woman parted her cloak and raised a black glowing sword, "the Urashima Blade!"

Lightning suddenly snaked into the darkening skies. Thunder rolled above the suddenly quiet plains.

The eerily glowing black sword held by the woman's rotting right hand began to glow even brighter as if it sensed its rightful owner, as if it longed to return to its master's hands. A moaning sound echoed through out the surrounding. A sad lonely sound.

Suddenly, a short sword appeared just below the woman's head, aimed directly at her throat. But the woman was able to block it with her left hand. The woman turned to her would-be killer and coldly said, "Do not interfere, Kanako,"

Kanako turned to Motoko and shouted, "GET HIM AWAY FROM HERE MOTOKO! GET ONI-CHAN AWAY FROM HER!"

The woman smirked and threw Kanako away.

Motoko was watching all this with a horrified look in her face. She was staring at the woman and then at the kneeling, violently trembling Keitaro. And she could not move her body. She was shocked with the way Keitaro pushed her. It was as if… as if he doesn't want her to be there. And that tore her both heart and soul. Keitaro doesn't want her to be anywhere near him.

It broke her heart.

Then slowly, the woman released the sword.

It hovered in the air.

Keitaro looked up.

And the sword shot directly into Keitaro's chest.

Motoko eyes widened. And then she screamed, "KEITARO NO!"

Keitaro's surrounding exploded and clouds of black dust covered his whole body. The cloud rose high into the sky as lightning flashed around it. Samurais and Korean warriors ran away from the battlefield as wind picked up speed and began blowing everything in all direction. It was like a powerful typhoon, like a killer storm.

Then a terrible low voice boomed into the plains and it was heard all over Japan.

"**SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!**"

* * *

Hei there everyone! I am absolutely sorry for the delay of this chapter. Because I only update every Friday to Monday, fanfiction was closed due to repairs last week and unable to view the page. I have been busy. And to make up with my readers who waited for this chapter I would upload another chapter in three to four days time. Well… it would depend whether fanfiction is operational or not. I loathe to upload whenever fanfiction is updating their website because of somewhat accidents – accidents that some fictions get erased from their list for no apparent reason at all. Although I'm very happy that fanfiction is updating their website, so please don't get me wrong (I don't want this fiction to be erased! So please do not be offended with what I said, it's just a minor observation… that's all) because the uploads are becoming much faster and there are very nice features added on the site which are very useful for all fanfiction writers (wink, wink). Fanfiction is doing a very good job.

Thanks again to all those kind enough to leave a note on what they think of the story. And now I am begging you to let me know what you think. I also ask you my dear readers to please stay with me a little while longer as this story is about to close. There are only a couple of chapters left.

I would reveal everything in the end. And I hope you will all be satisfied with it.

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	17. xvii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**XVII**

---

The Urashima blade shot directly into Keitaro's chest.

Motoko eyes widened. And then she screamed in horror, "KEITARO NO!"

Keitaro's surrounding exploded and clouds of black dust covered his whole body. The cloud rose high into the sky, lightning flashing around it. Samurais and Korean warriors ran away from the battlefield as wind picked up speed and began blowing everything in all direction. It was like a powerful typhoon, a killer storm.

Then a terrible low voice boomed into the plains and it was heard all over Japan.

"**SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!**"

---

"**SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!**"

The emperor watched the darkening skies. The voice that thundered through out the land chilled him to the bones.

The imperial samurais were alarmed. They searched the grounds and doubled the guards. The peasants and the villagers panicked and stormed into the castle asking for protection; and some climbed the highest mountain hoping to weather the strange phenomenon in hiding.

For the commoners this was the final judgement and the end of the world.

But for the educated, for the elite group of Japanese society who has been inside the castle halls, this was a sign of something much darker.

And so the long lost tale has once again resurfaced.

It was written in the halls of the imperial legends. It was passed on among the villagers as a rumour.

A tale of a terrible curse wrought by pain of betrayal and lost love.

---

"**SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!**"

The first thing the shogun noted was the sudden darkening of the skies. The voice that thundered through out the land sent his samurais to fits of fear and panic. It created chaos among the villagers and residents of Kamakura village.

"My lord… we need to take you to the mountains," a samurai came running to the shogun's side.

Yoritsugu glared at the samurai and said, "I will not turn tail and run away… I will stay here… if I have to fight – I WILL!"

"But my lord… all the villagers are escaping to the mountains… it is said that we are facing total destruction…"

Yoritsugu shook his head, "No… I will not run away… I will face this with my head high. A Kamakura shogun will never bow to anyone… to anything… even to this blasted curse!"

The samurai stood for a moment then nodded. He bowed and left.

_I don't think I'll see him again, _the shogun thought as he turned to the skies and watched flashes of lightning snaking around the vast heavy black clouds.

It was an incredible sight.

It was like death smiling down on them.

"So this is the Urashima Curse…"

---

Motoko clung into the ground, grabbing any hill stone to keep herself from being blown away.

The powerful wind that swept the plains cleared the grounds, leaving only a few samurais and warriors who managed to hold on to anything solid. The unlucky ones who were caught by the winds were thrown savagely in all directions. Many were wounded and killed.

And just as quickly as the wind started, it died down, leaving the plains in an eerie dark and cloudy silence.

Then a shadow rose in the middle of the field.

Motoko cautiously raised her head.

And she gasped.

From where Keitaro was kneeling before… now stood a man.

The man has a long shoulder length wild brownish hair. His clothes were of the same rags but of charcoal black hue. His skin was oddly pale but what were striking about it were the strange black symbol-like patterns that could be seen from his arms and neck. And the strangest thing was that these markings seemed to be moving on its own. It seemed to be 'travelling' across the man's body. This strangeness was accentuated by an eerie black aura glowing around the man.

It was Keitaro.

But it wasn't Keitaro at all.

It wasn't Keitaro at all.

It wasn't the Keitaro Motoko knew.

And although the man's face has Keitaro's resemblance, his face was riddled with scars, his eyebrows thick. And on the corner of the man's eyes were tears of bright red snaking down on his cheek. The man has the face of utter pain and sadness. He was crying tears of blood.

He was crying.

The man lifted his head, raised his arms into the sky and screamed, "**FOR SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!**"

Motoko shuddered.

---

"We need to stop him…" Tsuruko advanced towards the crying man with her sword raised high in the air about to unleash the most powerful secret sword arts she could let loose.

But something blocked her way.

Somebody blocker her way.

Tsuruko stood agape, "Motoko… what are you doing?"

---

Naru and Mitsune managed to stay on the ground by the side of the hill when the powerful wind tore through them. And as soon as the wind died down, Naru never wasted time as she stood and ran downhill. Mitsune was just behind her barely keeping up with her pace.

And when she reached the fields she immediately saw the lone man standing in the middle.

And she recognised him.

_It's him! _Naru thought as the memory of the first time she met him flashed through her mind, _it's nice to see you again, Naru-chan…_

It was the man Naru saw when they encountered Moe on their journey towards the northern mountain.

It was the man Moe referred to as her master.

It was Keitaro.

It was a different Keitaro.

---

Motoko could not understand why she was doing what she was doing now. Her mind was screaming for common sense but her heart was aching with pure pain and anxiety. And thus her whole body was in chaos.

She knew the legends.

She knew the curse.

And she knew her duty.

And so why… why can't she face those facts?

Keitaro - the young man who saved her life countless times in the short weeks they spent travelling together, the young man who made her feel like a true swordswoman of honour and dignity, the young man who made her feel like a woman to be cherished and cared for… was the same young man related to the most feared and vicious warrior to ever set foot on the Japanese lands.

Keitaro… _her_ Keitaro… was the direct descendant of Keitaro Urashima… the _first_ Keitaro Urashima.

The same Keitaro Urashima her ancestors betrayed seven hundred years ago. The same Keitaro Urashima who has cursed Japan with a terrible vendetta to return and bring forth retribution, thus the Urashima Curse.

Keitaro… _her_ Keitaro was her enemy.

Keitaro was her enemy.

And so Motoko's heart burned.

---

Tsuruko never lowered her sword. She shouted with annoyance, "What are you doing Motoko?"

Motoko did not speak. She just stood there with her arms raised blocking Tsuruko's way.

"Motoko… step aside," Tsuruko's voice was laced with a threat.

Motoko opened her mouth to answer but a wave of fear tore through her as she trembled momentarily. Then she replied, "Sis… sister… I… cannot… I cannot-," then all of a sudden, Motoko's eyes was filled with tears.

_How can fate be so cruel?_ Motoko thought as she forced herself to stand straight despite the torment of her heart and her soul, _just as I was beginning to feel for him… why does it have to be this way? _"I cannot let you do this sister…"

"Motoko… you don't know what you're doing… step aside sister… we have to destroy that – that monster! Because if we don't… we will all die!"

"But sister… Keitaro is not… Keitaro is not a monster! Keitaro will not destroy Japan… he… he saved us several times… he is a man of honour… a man with a heart… a man who protects the people he cares about…"

Tsuruko shook her head in anger, "HE IS AN URASHIMA! HE IS KEITARO URASHIMA! Don't you understand that Motoko? He has returned to destroy Japan. He has returned to kill us all!"

Amalla stepped next to Tsuruko. Amalla understood Motoko's pain, "Motoko-chan… the man you are protecting is not the same man you are speaking of… that young man who fought with you has already been drawn into the hatred of the first Keitaro Urashima… there is no way we can bring that young man back… I'm sorry Motoko-chan… but this is the truth… it has all been foretold… this is part of the curse Keitaro Urashima himself drew upon the empire of Japan… if we don't destroy him now… he will destroy us all…"

Motoko shook her head. Her eyes were streaming with tears.

_Why? Why does it have to be this way?_

---

Keitaro Urashima lowered his head. He opened his blood teary eyes. A ferocious snarl appeared on his face as if he was in constant pain, breathing hard through clamped gritted teeth.

Then ever slowly, he raised his glowing black sword chest high.

Then he slashed it to the right.

A powerful blast tore through the ground, a deep crevice snaked from Keitaro towards a group of samurai and enemy warriors standing just a few paces away.

The resulting explosion was horrifyingly tremendous as it disintegrated everything on its path. Both flesh and bones disappeared in the thick black smoke leaving nothing but a wide crater of charred stones and soil.

Keitaro Urashima screamed with bloodlust, "**SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS JAPAN! FOR SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS OF TORMENT!**"

---

Naru froze.

The terrible destruction that Keitaro released was unbelievable.

She stood there with Mitsune beside her as samurais and enemy warriors panicked around them. They were running in different directions trying to stay away from a man who could wreak havoc with a single swing of his sword.

---

Motoko was staring with wide eyed terror.

She trembled, "Is that… is that the secret sword arts technique?"

Tsuruko nodded, "Yes… it is the same technique. This is the true power of the secret sword arts technique. Only the first Keitaro Urashima could fully unleash the secret sword arts…"

"But how… how could that be? How could he know the secret sword arts?"

Tsuruko glanced at Motoko and replied darkly, "Keitaro Urashima is the one who taught _us_ the secret sword arts technique,"

"What?"

Another explosion rocked the plains as warriors of both side scrambled to get out of the way. Keitaro annihilated a battalion of samurais on his left with a wide swing of his sword disintegrating horses, man and land.

Motoko shivered violently as she watched Keitaro walking groggily, one hand on his head while the other was unleashing devastating attack to any fleeing samurais and warriors. It was like watching a madman.

Then Motoko whispered through the noise of panicking men, "Sis… sister… what… what is… what exactly is the… the Urashima Curse?"

Amalla replied, "Seven hundred years ago… Keitaro Urashima installed the very first empire of Japan. He was assisted by samurais of five leading clans - Norieyasu, Sakata, Su, Konno and Aoyoma. During this era Keitaro imparted the secrets of his power to selected samurais of each clan. And together they conquered the rebellion and united the once divided lands of the Gods,"

"Then Keitaro Urashima fell inlove with Naru Narusegawa of the Narusegawa clan… they were betrothed to be married but the head of Narusegawa's clan would not allow it," Tsuruko continued, "And so the daimyo forced Naru to marry Kentaro Sakata of the Sakata clan instead… this is when Keitaro's hatred began…"

"Keitaro challenged the empire and he was branded a traitor… a special council was called, formed by the same clans Keitaro personally taught to fight… and he was hunted through out the land. During this terrible time, Keitaro forged the sword of hatred… he forged the Urashima blade with all the sorcery of vengeance he could amass. Every inch of that sword contains Keitaro's desire to destroy the empire he himself personally built. He forged the sword with a curse… a terrible curse to destroy the empire of Japan every seven hundred years… the sword would bring him back every seven hundred years… and the souls of the same people who betrayed him would reincarnate the same way he would so he could exact the same pain over and over again… he would return every seven hundred years so he could satiate his desire for vengeance to the same empire and people who betrayed him…"

"Then one day… Keitaro Urashima was cornered by Motoko Aoyoma and Seta Norieyasu at the northern mountains… and he almost killed them. Keitaro's power cannot be tamed. Keitaro's power can never be tamed. And so Keitaro withdrew. For some odd reason Keitaro's anger dissipated. He surrendered his sword and he disappeared into the mountains…"

"It was said that Keitaro found a new love… he married a peasant named Mutsumi Otohime and together they lived in silence and in secrecy in the mountains,"

Tsuruko stepped forward, "But the Urashima curse was never withdrawn, even though Keitaro made sure that the sword would never return to Japan. That's why the remnants of the council… the Aoyomas, our clan with the help of the Konnos and the Norieyasus struggled to prevent this from happening by completely annihilating the Urashima clan, the Su clan made sure that the sword was guarded and hidden overseas… but even with all that – the curse still found its way here,"

"Then that means…" Motoko asked.

"Yes… we could all die today and still… Keitaro would return in the next seven hundred years… if Japan survived this destruction and heal… Keitaro would tear it down again…" Amalla replied darkly.

A tremendous howl shattered through the destruction of the plains.

Tsuruko, Amalla and Motoko found themselves staring at Keitaro on his knees shaking. They could see that Keitaro was fighting an inner battle. And Motoko understood why. She felt it all along.

She knew what she had to do.

---

"What are we going to do Naru?" Mitsune asked wearily as she scanned the destruction around her. Pretty soon, she knew that Keitaro would swing his sword their way and they would both die the same way all the other samurais and enemy warriors died. She felt like it was the end of the world. Nothing could ever survive Keitaro's power.

"I don't know Mitsune… I don't know…" Naru replied with a detached tone.

Naru watched Keitaro swing his sword maniacally in every direction killing almost all of the gathered samurais and warriors. Then suddenly, Keitaro knelt with his head on the ground. There was a howl of pain as Keitaro struggle an inner battle.

Naru understood why.

She knew what she had to do.

---

The fleeing samurais and warriors noticed that the killing has stopped. They turned and found the destroyer on his knees alone and vulnerable.

Some were foolish enough to take this chance.

They advanced with their swords ready to kill.

They charged.

---

Keitaro's surrounding suddenly glowed.

A white orb appeared and widened its boundaries. A group of samurais and warriors charged towards him and as soon as they reached the boundaries of the white orb they all disintegrated. Their bodies vanished into thin air like ashes. Some were still screaming as they watched themselves falling into tiny little pieces.

The white orb widened even further disintegrating everything on its path.

---

"By Kami! What in the world is that?" Hol Don asked as he watched a white orb grew bigger right before him.

He has trotted his horse close enough to look and failed to notice that he was too close.

The orb passed through him.

Hol Don felt the white light pass through his body. At first he felt nothing. Then pain. Excruciating pain. He screamed in terror as he saw his hand crumble into tiny pieces right before his eyes.

Then he screamed no more.

---

"Let's get out of here!" Tsuruko shouted through her fear. She forced herself to look away from the eerie hypnotic destruction happening before her.

She turned to run but something blurred before her eyes.

Turning around she saw a woman running towards the white orb.

And she immediately recognised her.

Amalla screamed her thoughts, "MUTSUMI-CHAN NO!"

---

Motoko failed to hear Tsuruko's words.

She didn't even notice the figure that pass by her.

All she could think of was the brightness of the white orb.

She could hear a sound from it. A sad lonely sound. It was a comforting hymn despite the noise of destruction and fear around her. It was soothing. It was as if that very sound was calling her. Somebody was calling for her.

She knew what she had to do.

And so Motoko ran towards Keitaro.

---

Mitsune eyes widened in terror and then she turned to run.

The white orb has suddenly increased its boundaries and they were only a few paces away. She felt pure fear coursing through her body and all she wanted to do was to run away as far as she could from such terrifying white light.

But something nagged in her mind.

She turned and she screamed teary eyed, "NARU WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T RUN INTO IT! YOU'RE GOING TO GET KILLED!"

And the last image Mitsune saw was Naru passing through the orb and disappearing into the white light.

---

_I remember you Keitaro-kun… I remember you… you promised… remember?_

_Please don't leave me Keitaro… please don't leave me…_

_I love you Keitaro… I feel for you… I need you._

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! How is this chapter? I hope I satisfied your curiosity. The end is near! Actually the next chapter will be the last… some sort of an epilogue. I don't want to drag this story. I always thought that a good story should always find its way to end. I apologize for the delay. I was on a brink of a writer's block but for some reason I managed to pull everything through. Because all these times all I could think of was the ending… and I know that I need to struggle to get thru the battle scenes before the ending and its mighty hard for me. This chapter drained my mind.

And the pairing? Well you got three of them out there on the field. Problem is… who'd survive long enough to get to Keitaro? Am I cruel? Well… you judge me when I release the conclusion. And I'm telling you now its not who you think it will be… again… it's a secret.

I beg you to stay long enough to see what would happen in the end. I promise everyone that it would be worth your time. Once again I would like to give my deepest appreciation to those kind enough to leave a note. I am really indebted to you.

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	18. conclusion i

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**Conclusion**

**I**

-

_It was the first time I saw her cry._

_For the countless days and nights that I have spent with her, her inner strength was her one quality I admired the most. Her courage and wisdom, her sense of pride was my only source of strength. For me she was an unyielding but fragile and beautiful sunflower under the burning glare of the sun._

_She was my guiding light._

_She was my love._

_She was my only love._

_And now… it seems… that the almighty Naru Narusegawa of the honourable Narusegawa clan, beset with deep heartache, torn between love and loyalty, has finally been defeated._

_Her usual stubbornness, her usual hunger for life, her energy… everything about her has disappeared, overwhelmed with sorrow and despair._

_And it made me angrier._

_My heart that grew cold since the day the head of the Narusegawa clan refused my proposal for Naru's hand in marriage has gotten only colder._

_All I wanted to do was – **kill **and **destroy**._

_Her precious tears that dropped on the tatami floor echoed in the silence of the night and it flowed sinuously with mine. She was sitting on one of the soft cushions on the corner of her wide imperial room, facing the impressively carved table surrounded by faint glow of a perfumed candle light. _

_She knew I was there watching her. _

_And I was. Standing outside the window, wanting to reach her and touch her, comfort her between my arms, and rain her with kisses… but I knew… there was nothing more I could do._

_She would marry soon._

_In fact… she would marry the next day._

_And this was the very reason why I stole this chance to see her again. Ignoring the risks of capture and foreseeable inhumane torture my body would receive under the cold and vengeful samurai clans, I moved with grim purpose inside the complex castle walls._

_I would rather suffer and die a thousand deaths than not to see her one last time before her marriage._

_"Keitaro…" Naru whispered without turning._

_My heart leapt._

_But I kept myself hidden in the darkness._

_I don't want her to see me crying… I don't want her to see me torn, ruined by heartache and longing. Because I wasn't the man I used to be… for now I was nothing more but an enemy of the empire… an enemy of the nation I founded and raised. I was nothing more but a man of hatred and vengeance. This was what I was reduced to, stripped with pride, honour and privilege… brutally separated from the one that I love._

_But what was pride? Where was honour?_

_I don't know._

_I have forgotten._

_She was the only one on my mind. And I was driven mad with desperation to be with her._

_Kami… I wanted to touch her so much._

_"I am so sorry Keitaro…" Naru whispered through her heavy sobs. She didn't move. She kept her head low and between the palms of her hands, "I love you… you know that… you know that you will be the only one for me… and I… I am so sorry… I am torn between you and loyalty to my clan and the empire…"_

_I wanted to tell her that I don't blame her. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't her fault. _

_But I kept my silence._

_There was nothing more I could do._

_I don't deserve her._

_I don't want her to see the impurity of destruction in my mind, my heart and my soul._

_Because all I wanted to do now was…** kill**…** and**…** destroy**._

_"I want you to know… that… if we were to live in another time… in another place… I would love you… and I would choose you… above all else… I would love you till the day I die…"_

_And she would._

_I would see her again one day._

_I would readily offer my soul to the fire guardians of heavens just to be with my only desire._

_And nothing would ever stop me._

_Not even death._

_And so for the first time that night unable to hold myself any longer, I broke my silence; I spoke with both passion and love for the last time, "I promise you… my soul will never rest… I will destroy Japan and everything else… and I will never stop… until the day I unite with you… either this life or the next…"_

_-_

_I felt her coming for me._

_And I swung my sword to the right to block her attack._

_The sudden clash of our blades created sparks that flashed in the vast darkness of the forest like lightning in a storm._

_Then silence._

_It has been weeks since I destroyed the countless armies the emperor sent to kill me. I eluded capture and I annihilated them one by one, defiling the villages with rivers of blood. My utter defiance was simple – for every village I single-handedly burnt to the ground I leave the imperial emblems on the charred grounds to remind anyone that this was a personal battle against the imperial family. Anyone who interferes would die a horrifying death. And so the emperor in the last desperate move to kill me forced the five infamous samurais that I personally trained to hunt me down._

_And she was the most stubborn of them all._

_I felt immense pride in my heart._

_She was the best that I have ever trained and the most skilful of all my apprentices. She has the heart and soul of a warrior, fiercely dedicated to her clan, strict follower of bushido - way of the samurai. She was a woman to be reckoned with. And I never regretted that I passed to her the most devastating attack any man could ever use._

_"**ROCK-SPLITTING SWORD!**"_

_I jumped to the side to avoid the tremendous ball of energy that flew furiously towards me, uprooting trees out of the way, burrowing to the ground with incredible speed and resulting to an explosion that rocked the whole mountain forest._

_And just when I thought I was safe, I heard a rushing sound above me._

_Looking up, I found the fury that was Motoko Aoyoma of the fearless Aoyoma clan shooting down towards me. I smiled and I jumped to meet her attack, slashing my sword upward in a perfect arc._

_If she was a man…__ I would have been killed. But the lightness of her body was her undoing as our sword impact dragged with the weight of my body and powerful swing of my sword pushed her roughly to the side that sent her crashing into the ground._

_She was good._

_She was an apprentice any teacher could hope for._

_And I eternally regret that I have to kill her._

_Motoko was kneeling and retching before me. And I waited for her to compose herself._

_I may be a killer… but I still follow chivalry. I don't kill mindlessly. I never kill an unprepared opponent. As much as possible, I kill them at the peak of their battle rage. I kill them when I see the murderous intent in their eyes. For me… that was chivalry._

_Suddenly, memories flashed before me. I remembered the first day Motoko came to my tent and begged me to accept her as an apprentice. I remembered the harsh training I imposed on her and four other samurais who came to my care and brought them all closer to death than any of them could have ever imagined. I remembered the way I kept Motoko away from major battles with the rebellion, almost acting like an overzealous father than a teacher, keeping her at my sight, protecting her with my sheer presence. I remembered the day Motoko broke all my rules and proved herself a worthy samurai warrior than any man I knew… the way her eyes gleam with menace as she killed mercilessly with unbelievable speed and accuracy. I remembered the day I finally decided that she would be the heir to a secret sword attack that could destroy armies with a single swing of a sword… and the reasons made me realise that she wasn't my little girl anymore… she has become a woman. She has grown._

_And I was proud._

_I felt that pride standing now the way I felt it before._

_She was my Motoko._

_"Motoko-chan… there is no shame in admitting defeat. Tell Seta-san that I escaped… you can tell him any story you want… and I promise as the spirits of the mountain and the trees as my witnesses that not a single soul would ever know what has happened here…" I loathe destroying my only pride and joy._

_And Motoko looked up to me._

_And those burning eyes brought me back to the time I started seeing her as a formidable adversary._

_There was an ugly snarl on her face that reminded me of rabid dogs. Her long silky hair was awry. Her shoulders were hunched, trembling and quivering. Her knuckles were white, gripping her sword savagely. _

_She slowly opened her mouth and whispered inaudibly – "Baka…"_

_For the first time in my life I knew how fear felt like._

_Then Motoko disappeared._

_In a flash, a sword came slashing towards my neck but it perturbed me to notice that it was slanted upwards which slowed it down giving me time to block it with my sword handle._

_Then a kick behind me drove me to the ground._

_I turned and I found Motoko looming over me with her sword ready to strike._

_I kept my eyes on her face. If I have to die… I would die knowing the satisfaction on my killer's eyes._

_My last dying memories would be of the raging beauty of the best samurai I have ever moulded. I would die happy and proud._

_And so I surrendered. I bowed low to the ground, placing my sword before me. I said, "There is nothing more I could teach you… you have proven yourself… and before I die… I would like you to know that it has been a privilege knowing you… It has been a privilege teaching you. I have never met a finer apprentice or a worthy opponent,"_

_Then I raised my head hoping that if I look up, the merciful killing blade would cut my head in one stroke and so immortalise the last face I would ever see._

_But what I saw astounded me._

_Motoko was crying._

_Then in a single movement, she threw her sword aside and wrapped her arms around me sobbing and trembling. Her head was buried on my chest as I felt her warm tears soak my clothes. And between her heavy sobs I could hear her say, "Baka… baka… sempai… baka… sempai… sempai…"_

_And we stayed like that for a while, kneeling on the ground dirt, under the faint moonlight and clear cloudless sky in the middle of a dark and quiet forest._

_And my thoughts were filled with an ache that I have long forgotten. I could smell her scent. I could feel the softness of her skin. I could sense the exquisite way her body shiver._

_How I wished we could stay like this forever._

_A teacher and his student locked in an eternal embrace._

_Then Motoko slowly lifted her head. She looked straight at me. Her teary eyes broke me… she was breathtakingly beautiful._

_Then I felt her hand behind my head. I was captivated with her lips. I was drawn to it. And with strained slowness, I felt her hand pushing me closer to her. My mind was screaming for sense… but I finally gave in._

_We kissed._

_Motoko's lips dove into mine with a hunger that astonished me. I could feel her hand around my head pushing me closer as if our locked lips were not enough. I could feel the intensity of her needs. She wanted me. She wanted all of me._

_But I withdrew._

_"Motoko… I…" I tried to speak between breaths._

_Motoko pursed her lips then slowly nodded. She untangled herself away from me… missing her warmth the moment she withdrew her arms. And then she bowed._

_She whispered, "Sempai… I…"_

_"Don't apologize," I said, wanting the awkward moment between us to pass._

_But Motoko looked up to me again with a determined face, she looked even lovelier, "No… sempai…" A deep sigh, "It hurts me… it hurts me to see you like this. I know that I can never be compared to princess Naru, in your eyes I will forever be a student… to you I am nothing more than a warrior… a killer… a murderer… a tool of destruction… but I… I wanted you to know that it hurts me… it hurts me to see you suffer…"_

_Motoko's eyes were flowing with tears that sparkled under the faint light of clear night sky._

_"It hurts me... to see you torn apart... and it hurts me that this is all I could do..."_

_She looked away. As if the inevitable truth between us was causing her undue pain. It was not meant to be._

_"I tried so hard... but no matter what I do... no matter how hard I try... your heart could never be mine... and it hurts me... "_

_Then suddenly Motoko stood and bowed again._

_She turned with her hair waving in the cold summer breeze and walked away. She disappeared in the darkness._

_And finally I understood._

_Everything she said... everything she did._

_"Thank you… Motoko..." I bowed._

_I left my sword on the ground._

_And I never picked one ever again._

_-_

_I don't know how long I have been asleep._

_But the last thing I remembered was sitting on top of a hill, watching the sunset before the pain of hunger overcame my senses._

_I could not remember how long I have been on the road. All I could think of was how hungry I was. My last meal was already a distant memory. And watching the skies, the sun rising and falling from the sea to the mountains was the one thing that occupied my dying state._

_I have not eaten for a long time. Devoid of weapons or any means to feed myself… I trudged along the roads senselessly in desolation and starvation not caring for wherever my feet take me._

_And I was haunted by ghosts of the past._

_I was running away from familiar faces._

_And the unbearable pain of my stomach drove me to insanity._

_Have I lost my mind?_

_Yes._

_For instance - I was supposed to know a princess who married a powerful prince and now the couple was trying to overtake the ruling imperial family. And I was supposed to be acquainted with an infamous swordswoman who has allegedly destroyed the last rebellion stronghold using a devastating attack that sent men flying into the sky. I was supposed to know these incredible people who filled the current rumours of the land._

_Rubbish._

_How could a man who couldn't even feed himself know of such privileged and renowned individuals? How could a man who cries at the sight of a faint candlelight and smiles at a clear night sky be considered sane by any man? How could a man who laughs for no apparent reason be given attention?_

_No…_

_I have seen several strangers looking at me with disgust and annoyance. And some even gave a surprised knowing look but would only shake their heads as if they thought they saw someone they knew but they didn't._

_But how could they?_

_My hair has grown long and grey. My beard was thick and awry. My clothes were torn and shady. I don't have a weapon, I am unarmed and defenceless. I have nothing. I don't know anything._

_But I do know one thing._

_I do know that I was running._

_But from who or even what…__ I could no longer remember._

_There was only hunger…_

_"Ara!__ Ara! You're awake! That's good,"_

_I snapped my eyes open. And I found myself on the ground wrapped with thick layers of old but clean rags. There was an aromatic smell in the air. I could not help but drool._

_Then a kind beautiful face came into my view._

_A goddess?_

_Maybe._

_"Ara!__ Ara! You don't look too well! You better start eating,"_

_Then a crude wooden bowl was placed before me._

_Rice._

_Then I ate._

_And I ate like a dog. Eating every single morsel, not wanting to waste anything… I even ate the ones that fell accidentally on the dirt ground. It does not matter to me. I ate with a disgusting noise and speed but every time I emptied my bowl another one filled with rice would suddenly appear before me. And so I kept on eating and eating until the goddess could no longer provide._

_"Ara!__ Ara! Forgive me but I don't have rice anymore! If you want I could cook you some again! Ara! Ara! I have never seen anybody eat as fast as you,"_

_I could only nod._

_And the goddess disappeared for moment then she came back to sit beside me._

_We just sat there like that in silence waiting for the rice to cook. I was busy looking around the small hut while she burned me with her inquisitive eyes. I avoided her eyes._

_I suddenly felt… ashamed._

_A dirty man like me inside a small and clean hut, it does not make sense._

_It was very inappropriate for me to be there._

_Especially alone with her._

_Then she broke her silence, "Ara! Ara! Where are my manners! My name is Mutsumi Otohime," Mutsumi cheerfully bowed._

_Otohime... Mutsumi..._

_The goddess has a name._

_My goddess..._

_My saviour..._

_The goddess named Mutsumi suddenly clapped her handsthen she asked, "So what's your name?"_

_What was my name?_

_I don't know._

_I can't remember._

_Kei… Kei... taro… Keitaro… Keitaro… "Keitaro…" I mumbled._

_"Really," Mutsumi beamed, "Well then! It's very nice to meet you Keitaro,"_

_I nodded, unable to go further._

_"I found you at the hill where I usually let my cow graze… and so I brought you here," She said it as if it was the most common thing to do. Bring home a dirty stranger._

_"I…" I started… feeling the warmth on my cheeks as I suddenly realised that this woman saved my life. I was dying with hunger. And seeing me on my hopeless state she took me to her home to help… a man like me does not deserve such kindness. I bowed low, "I thank you for your kindness Otohime-sama…"_

_Mutsumi glowed with delight, "Ara! Ara! It is so nice to be called like that! But it's inappropriate Kei-kun! Just call me Mutsumi-chan or maybe even Mu-chan,"_

_"Eh?"_

_"Ara!__ Ara! Don't blush like that! I bet you look good under that thick hair! Tomorrow, I could cut it for you,"_

_"But Otohime-sama you don't have to…"_

_"Yes I do! And I wanted to!"_

_I sighed. I conceded._

_Mutsumi stood and went for the corner of the hut that seemed to resemble a small kitchen._

_But I called out for her, "Otohime-sama… I… don't deserve your kindness… I don't know how to repay you… I'm not even sure if I could…"_

_But Mutsumi ignored me and continued to serve me. She placed the crude wooden bowl filled with white steaming rice on my lap and smiled. She watched me with amusument as I eagerly held the cup with a loving tenderness as if it might vanish into thin air._

_I could only dream._

_Then she said, "I know a way you can pay me,"_

_I stopped half way through the rice bowl, "Eh?"_

_"You could start by helping me collect the rice stalks tomorrow,"_

_I stared at her for moment… then I slowly nodded, "Hai…"_

_"Then the next day we could start the day by filling the rice sacks to sell for the market,"_

_"Eh?"_

_"Then the day after that, you could help me repair the roof because rainy season would start soon… so we better get this hut ready for the monsoon,"_

_I stared at her open mouthed as she merrily went through the list of chores to be done._

_"But Otohime-sama…"_

_Mutsumi paused for a moment after trying to outline to me almost nonsensically the way to a close stream that I should be using to gather drinking water. She smiled brightly to me and whispered, "You don't have to run Keitaro… you don't need to run anymore… nobody's chasing you,"_

_For a moment, I just stared at her._

_I shivered._

_The goddess named Mutsumi, who found me and fed me, reached out to gently hold my trembling hand. She whispered soothingly, "You can stay here with me… I'll take good care of you… there is no need to run... you're already home,"_

_And after for what seems like an eternity… I cried._

_And I cried._

_Somebody found me._

_I was no longer lost._

_-_

"So that's how it is…"

Keitaro blinked.

"That's all you remember? Humans are pathetic… it took you seven hundred years… pitiful,"

Keitaro turned around but the whiteness of his surrounding was blinding and confusing. He was standing in the middle of a vast empty whiteness. He felt an odd lightness in his body.

"Where am I?" it was the first question that came to Keitaro's mind, whirling around wanting the source of the voice to appear.

"Inside the sword of course," a mock reply echoed the bewildering place.

"What do you mean?"

Then suddenly Keitaro doubled in pain as he felt something heavy dropped on his head. His eyes watered as he screwed his face, his hands over his head. Something struck him. Something struck him hard.

"Not too bright are you,"

Keitaro looked up and found a man with long brown hair, pale skin and battle scarred face standing before him.

There was a smug look etched on the man's face.

"You still don't get it do you?" the man asked in exasperation.

Keitaro could only shake his head.

"And you are supposed to be the second…" the man sighed, "Well… nothing has changed… you are as clueless as the first…"

Keitaro slowly nodded then asked, "Who… who are you?"

The man stared him down and replied, "I am the guardian of the sword… and you… you are Keitaro Urashima… the second… you are the first reincarnation… and this," the man opened his arms and pointed to the surrounding, "is the essence of your vengeance… as we have agreed seven hundred years ago…" the man's finger pointed down on Keitaro, "you decide Keitaro Urashima…"

"Decide? Decide on what?"

"Do you want to destroy Japan?"

* * *

Hei there guys and gals! I am very sorry for the delay of this chapter. I didn't expect the length to be so long so I have to reedit it and cut it in half. It was just too long. So the next chapter would be up soon! But I want everybody to read this piece first before I upload the next one so I would know what you think of it and edit the second part of the conclusion appropriately! I wouldn't want to shock you that much… would I?

I was actually considering on writing a prequel to this fanfic of mine. Just a romantic tale of Love Hina cast set on Ancient Japan… Keitaro's arrival on Japan… how he met the girls and finally to the tragic end. I also added a bonus chapter on the second conclusion about the how the first Kanako met the first Keitaro upon landing on Japanese shores. At least that would give you an idea of how it is seven hundred years before the Mongolian invasion.

I would like to thank my reviewers for their patience. Your reviews gave me inspiration on how I should bring the story to the fore and I sincerely hope that you are happy with what has been happening! So please tell me what you think! Only one last chapter to go – the second part of this conclusion… please hang around a little while longer!

Catch u all later! Cheers!

nivremous


	19. conclusion ii, epilogue i, epilogue ii

I don't own Love Hina. Love Hina belongs to Ken Akamatsu. The story though is just a work of fiction. For all spelling and grammar mistakes I apologize in advance.

**Legends**

**Conclusion**

**II**

-

The man stared him down and replied, "I am the guardian of the sword… and you… you are Keitaro Urashima… the second… you are the first reincarnation… and this," the man opened his arms and pointed to the surrounding, "is the essence of your vengeance… as we agreed seven hundred years ago…" the man's finger pointed down to Keitaro, "you decide Keitaro Urashima…"

"Decide? Decide on what?"

"Do you want to destroy Japan?"

"De… destroy Japan!" Keitaro replied incredulously. For a moment he just stared back at the man waiting for him to continue. But the man did nothing. Keitaro shook his head, "How… how could you ask such thing? I mean… destroy Japan! Why would I? How could I!"

The man leaned closer to Keitaro. Then he slowly placed his hand on Keitaro's forehead.

Then Keitaro felt pain.

Keitaro felt pain that surpassed any physical pain he had experienced in all his young life.

He felt extreme sadness deep in his heart. He felt loneliness. He felt abandoned. He felt betrayed. He felt shame.

He felt like dying.

He savagely grabbed his head and screwed his eyes shut. The pain of betrayal was unbearable. It felt like every soul he knew was laughing at his sad and sorry predicament. It felt like the very person he loved has used him and nothing could be much crueler than what he could see in his mind at that moment.

Naru.

Naru laughing at him.

_How could she accept another man's proposal if she does not wish to marry him? Why couldn't she fight for the love we have cherished together? Why can't she abandon everything she has and fight for me? Why did you do this to me Naru! Why! Haven't I done enough for you? Do I mean anything to you? Where were you when I needed you the most? WHY CAN'T YOU JUST TELL ME THAT YOU LOVE ME? WHY! WHY! WHY!_

"I DON'T NEED HER!" Keitaro screamed.

And as sudden as the unbearable pain snaked through his heart, it disappeared.

Keitaro opened his eyes, shaking and drenched with cold sweat. He was heaving for air. And for the few seconds of regrettable memories that tore through his mind and heart, it felt like an eternity. He looked up and stared at the man who caused it all.

And the man stared back with mild curiosity.

He asked, "You don't need her?"

Keitaro swallowed, trying to speak with a dry throat, he croaked, "Everything has changed… I am not the same man… I do not feel the same way I did before… the perpetual curse might have brought us all back here but it is not the same. Fate has more divine purpose than what you or the old me has planned for… and nothing... nothing could change that!"

Then the white surrounding was suddenly filled with images.

Imagesof exhilarating beauty.

Motoko.

The man looked around in wonder as the images shot around in extraordinary pace surrounding them with fervor. He could see Motoko fighting. He could see Motoko angry. He could see Motoko laughing. He could see Motoko staring back at them with heart stopping splendor.

The man slowly nodded and whispered,"You're inlove… with her,"

Keitaro looked away. He replied, "I do not know what fate has for me… but I do know one thing. We humans are always given a second chance… and it is up to us to use that chance. Either live with the pain of the past or be thankful for the chance of another future…"

The man quickly turned, "But what about the curse! It will continue… you cannot change the past… a promise has to be fulfilled-,"

"And destroying Japan would not lessen that pain nor would it extinguish the memories… it will always be there," Keitaro retorted calmly, "And I would learn from it… and so should you…"

For a moment nobody spoke.

The man turned away.

Then he said, "Keitaro Urashima was the bravest man I have ever met. He was the most skilful warrior I have ever fought. His anger and his dedication to accomplish his goals is incomparable. I do not have qualms that he defeated me. He is the very first mortal to ever trap an Oni… and a very powerful one too. But this sword has been my home for seven hundred years. And I have lived with the memories he left with me. And now… I guess all those memories would fade. With the fulfillment of the curse… you the second, carried what truly mattered to the first Keitaro Urashima… and from what I have seen… I could no longer see that hatred… what was passed to you through the generations was not the same betrayal… but hopes from three women. I alone carried that pain of betrayal-,"

"But now you will have to carry my memories…" Keitaro continued.

The man turned to face Keitaro and nodded, "Memories that I would carry for the next seven hundred years…" and he turned away again, "You humans are odd. At first you curse and wish the worst for your offenders… but now… you easily forgive and forget. I offered immortality to the first Keitaro but he refused. Instead he designed a unique way of returning along with the people who betrayed him… I do not see any reason why he has decided for this… I do not understand…"

Keitaro smiled, "Not all reincarnations are meant for evil… it's a chance. That's all he needed. And fate would decide the rest,"

The man was silent for a moment then he finally understood, "I see… Keitaro Urashima is gambling with time... a very risky game..."

"Life itself is a gamble..." Then Keitaro's tone became cold, "You don't have to stay here oni. As the reincarnate of the man who trapped you I return your freedom…"

The man shook his head and raised his hand, "I appreciate your kindness… but no… I think I'll stay a little while longer… it seems the journey has just begun. I would wait and see what would happen. Let me see how it would turn out in the end…"

They were silent for a while.

Then Keitaro nodded, "Very well... I'll see you in seven hundred years oni,"

The man replied, "I'll see you in seven hundred years Keitaro,"

-

Keitaro opened his eyes.

He coughed.

Blood spurted out of his mouth.

"Ara… ara… please do not move Kei-kun… we'll take you to the village…" It was Mutsumi staring down on him with teary eyes.

Suddenly Naru's face came into view, "Keitaro! Keitaro! You're alive! Samurais would be carrying you to the village… please hang on… don't die!"

Then came Motoko.

Keitaro opened his mouth to speak but Motoko pressed his lips with her finger. She whispered close to his ears, "There is no need for you to say anything… Kei-kun…"

And Keitaro knew what she meant.

-

The white orb that appeared in the middle of the field and killed thousands of warriors turned into a powerful wind and blew towards the beach and into the sea. The very ground it grew into was devoid of anything except for three women huddled around a young man.

Tsuruko and Amalla arrived shortly with several samurais and carefully carried Keitaro towards the village.

The sword wound on Keitaro's chest was bleeding profusely. And he was bleeding too fast.

Meanwhile, Seta rallied the few samurais that survived the destruction of the curse to scour the beach of any surviving enemy warriors. But the search party found none.

The large ships and boats that waited on the coast capsized and sank as the powerful wind blew their direction. The lethal vengeance of the sea ate those who attempted to flee and none survived the devastation. They all drowned.

The Korean and Mongol invading army have completely been annihilated.

-

"Haruka!" Seta saw her image retreating towards the darkness of the forest.

The heavy clouds that hovered above the open field gave way to a clear night sky riddled with bright sparkling stars. The open field was given an eerie illumination with lifeless bodies that littered the vast ground. And the forest surrounded the scarred land like an evil shadow.

It was decided that the dead would be cared for the next day.

Seta scouted the edge of the forest that night making sure that all samurais dead and wounded were accounted for. But deep inside him he was searching for someone. Someone he dearly hoped to see again. And before midnight he found her.

Haruka.

At first the dark figure did not move. Seta began to think that it was an illusion of the night or the cruel fantasy brought upon by the curse but the figure turned to face him very slowly.

Her eyes were as striking as Seta could remember.

He could not help but cry.

"Haruka…" Seta whispered through his tears.

Haruka regarded him for a moment. Then she nodded, "Seta…"

Seta reached out and stepped forward but Haruka stepped back.

And Seta stopped. It was not meant to be. He dried his tears with his arms then he stared into Haruka's cold gaze and said, "I've missed you… I've missed you all these years…"

For a moment Haruka just stared back.

Then her eyes mellowed. And her sadness reached through Seta's heart.

"I'm… I'm glad to hear that… Seta-kun…"

Then Haruka disappeared into the forest.

Seta never saw her again.

-

A few days after the battle at the open fields of the Aoyoma village the rumors of the powerful curse that almost destroyed the land died down along with the inquiries on what happened to the one man all samurais referred to as the 'destructor'. Nobody asked or suspected but all the eyewitnesses could recount was that the man who could annihilate armies with a swing of his sword, the 'destructor', has disappeared and was never seen again.

But the imperial family and the Shogunate along with the five clans – Konno, Aoyoma, Su, Sakata and Norieyasu kept the mysteries of the curse hidden at the northern temple. The head of each clan conferred the whole time they waited for Keitaro Urashima to regain consciousness.

Keitaro was guarded by hundreds of trusted, skillful and brave samurais of the clans. He has been unconsciousness for more than a week and being taken care of Shinobu and her parents. Only few were allowed to see him. And the clans with the approval of the shogun and the emperor made sure that Keitaro would only receive as few visitors as possible.

His existence was still under duress.

And the decision whether to keep him alive or to kill him before he wakes was still under extreme debate.

-

Motoko blocked off the noise.

She has been sitting on the corner of the room since noon patiently listening to the furious disagreements between the head of the clans as to the fate of the only heir to the Urashima curse, Keitaro Urashima.

"Kami has given us this opportunity to end this curse once and for all!" the head of the Konno clan, Ishin Konno, slammed his fist on the tatami floor, "And we should use it!"

"I agree… we do not know what consequences we would face if we let… this… this man live!" Kentaro Sakata added.

The meeting was being held in secrecy in one of the wide hidden rooms of the northern temple. The emperor sat at the head of the room next to the shogun who both has been listening to the exchange of thoughts between the clans. Naru was sitting close to the emperor and beside her was Mitsune. Motoko placed herself close to the door a few feet away from her sister, Tsuruko.

"But if we destroy Keitaro now… we are destroying the only weapon we have against enemies that we cannot defend ourselves from… the battle with the Mongols should prove a lesson to us that our military tactics and weapons are completely outdated with the modern technology the foreign world has!" Seta argued, "We cannot defend ourselves from sheer numbers and close combat skills alone-,"

"And you are saying that we could use this curse of a man against foreign enemies or any enemies we deem unconquerable? It is preposterous my lord! This man would attack us the same way he would with the enemy! He has no allegiance!" Ishin Konno replied furiously.

"And we do not know the extent of his power… as the old tale goes - Keitaro Urashima will return to destroy Japan!" Kentaro began, "This man is not a samurai. The old tale itself said so… he came here to Japan… he expects Japan to succumb to HIM! And we certainly would NOT!"

Motoko sighed but careful to keep it to herself. She was in the presence of powerful warlords and overlords. She could feel the hatred and vanity in the air and she was certain that a false move could easily break into an all out civil war. It was indeed a miracle that these warring clans no matter which allegiance they belong to, the emperor or the shogun, have met here in secrecy to decide in unity the fate of a power they could not understand or control.

And Motoko could see it in their eyes – fear, _Keitaro Urashima scared them all._

Motoko heard a rumor that other clans, those who were aware of Keitaro's existence, has been asking ninjas and trained assassins to assassinate Keitaro. If not for the number of specially selected and highly skilled samurais guarding Keitaro and the ultimate fact the Keitaro was the heir to the most brutal warrior in Japan, bringer of the Urashima curse, the temple should now be crawling with assassins waiting for an opportunity.

_No one is brave enough… no one would dare awake Keitaro's wrath! They are all afraid of you Kei-kun… you are indeed a legend. Your mere presence brings a stab of fear to everyone… especially the high circle. These warlords would never stop until they find a way to destroy you or control you, _Motoko sighed again. For the first time she finally understood the burden Keitaro was carrying. _To be misunderstood by so many… no matter what you do… Kei-kun… the curse is not on Japan… the curse is on you… the heavy burden is on you and your family… all these years…_

"We must end the curse by letting Keitaro marry the one person he desired right from the beginning…" Amalla spoke for the first time.

Motoko's eyes shot open.

Then Motoko found her sister Tsuruko staring directly at her.

"I agree… this way we could bind Keitaro's loyalty to Japan and to its people and keep the absolute power he has within him and harness it. He would protect us the way he protected those that matters to him the most," Seta approved.

Then Amalla bowed towards Naru, "Princess Naru Narusegawa of Narusegawa clan… would you marry Keitaro Urashima to finally end the curse?"

For a moment nobody spoke.

All eyes turned to Naru, who was calmly deciding with her eyes closed.

There was a tranquil look on her face.

Then she slowly nodded and whispered softly, "I would. For the nation of Japan I would mar-,"

A loud noise echoed through out the room.

Everybody turned towards the noise andfound Motoko standing by the door.

Motoko bowed low and spoke with a cold voice, "I do not mean to be rude but I need to go out for a moment. I apologize,"

And without another word she left the room.

-

Motoko was restless that night.

She kept herself inside her room the whole day refusing to see anyone even her own sister. She stayed in her room and waited for the night to arrive. And sleep was proving very difficult to do.

Because words kept ringing inside her head, _yes I would marry Keitaro, yes I would marry Keitaro, yes I would marry Keitaro, yes I would marry Keitaro, yes I would marry Keitaro, yes I would marry Keitaro…_

"Leave me alone!" Motoko viciously whispered under her breath.

Then unable to contain herself any longer she stood and briskly walked out of her room with her sword in hand.

It was dark. The hallway was devoid of any light except for the clear night sky. The stars were sparkling brightly. A cool draft was passing through the still and quiet darkness of the temple.

And after walking aimlessly towards the empty garden, Motoko crumpled to the soft grassy ground and cried.

_I should have known… it wasn't meant to be. It is for the good of the land… Keitaro would marry Naru and we will all be safe… but… but could I even accept that… by Kami… I don't know… I'm not even sure if I could face him again… I'm not even sure if I would…_

"Motoko…"

Motoko froze.

Then she quickly dried her tears and composed herself, trying her best to arrange her clothes neatly to hide the light dirt from the ground.

Naru stepped closer, "Motoko…"

"I am sorry princess Naru but I do not think I am capable of speaking properly right now," Motoko bit down another surge of tears threatening to flow from her eyes. She refused to face Naru and kept herself busy dusting her clothes, "there are… uhm… there are things in my mind that I would like to think about… and I would be eternally grateful if you could just leave me alone… I-,"

"I would like you to know that I am very sorry if I said anything that might have offended you this afternoon," Naru said tentatively not knowing what to do and what else to say.

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then Motoko paused. She sighed heavily. She stood straight and stared at the sky. She whispered, "Do you love him?"

Naru did not reply.

Then suddenly a rushing sound came tearing into the garden.

Motoko quickly went into a fighting stance, her right hand on the hilt of her sword and her feet pressed on the ground waiting for something or anything. Her sadness was suddenly replaced with years of warrior training.

"Who's there?" Motoko demanded; her voice commanding but oddly light and calm.

When nobody answered her, Motoko raised her head to shout an alarm but somebody came into view.

And she tumbled down directly towards Motoko's feet.

"Hiya Mo-chan!" greeted Kaolla from the ground struggling to untangle her self from a very tight knot.

Motoko frowned, "What are you doing Kaolla-san? If the guards saw you here you would be in great trouble! Your sister would be very disappointed!"

"Not to worry Mo-chan… there's no guard around this area tonight… I made sure of that!" Kaolla replied happily.

Then the bushes behind Kaolla rustled and another figure came into view.

"Have we been caught Kaolla?" Shinobu asked walking tentatively out from where she was hiding. And when she saw Motoko and Naru staring at her on the other side, she shrank behind Kaolla, "Motoko-sempai! Naru-sempai! It wasn't my idea I swear! Kaolla made me do it!"

Naru shook her head in confusion, "What's going on here?"

"Don't worry too much Shinobu-chan!" Kaolla patted a rather shaking Shinobu, giving Motoko and Naru a glance every now and then.

"You two are walking around the garden like some sort of brigands up to no good!" Motoko said angrily.

"Don't take it so seriously Motoko-chan!" Mutsumi suddenly appeared beside Motoko, "Ara! Ara! I guess this would be a very good farewell celebration!"

"Farewell-," Naru started.

"-Celebration?" Motoko ended.

Then from where Shinobu came from appeared three figures.

It was Mitsune carefully assisting Keitaro to walk with Moe holding his hand.

"Keitaro!" Motoko gasped.

"Mitsune! You're in this too?" Naru gasped, trying to control her rising rage.

Mitsune smiled, "Hei princess Naru… as what the old saying goes… if you can't beat them… join them!"

"What is going on here?" Naru demanded again. Her voice was slightly louder and it alarmed everyone in the garden.

Another figure came into view but this time it came from the other side of the garden. It was the side that directed deeper into the forest and beyond the mountains.

It was Kanako.

"Will you keep your voice down?" Kanako retorted irritably as she nimbly walked towards Keitaro to take Mitsune's place.

"You're trying to escape…" Motoko whispered as she finally understood what was happening before her.

But everybody ignored her. Shinobu was busy giving Moe last instructions on how to give the specially prepared medicines to Keitaro while Mitsune was giving Kanako details of hidden roads she could use and places where imperial and shogunate guards could be lurking. Mutsumi was busy making sure that Keitaro has enough clothes around him to keep him warm during the night journey with Kaolla inspecting Keitaro's legs and feet making sure that he has enough protective covering.

Motoko's hand went to the hilt of her sword. Then she said, "I cannot… I cannot allow you to escape Keitaro!"

Everybody froze.

Motoko turned towards Naru, wanting her to agree.

But Naru was experiencing an inner battle herself.

So Motoko turned to face the group again and insisted her decision, "Keitaro Urashima you are under the emperor and the shogun's care… please return to your quarters until the emperor or the shogun call for you…"

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then Kanako stepped forward.

"Kana-chan," Keitaro spoke for the first time. His eyes boring directly at Motoko's face, "Please stand back…"

Kanako nodded and stepped back. But she kept herself between Motoko and Keitaro with her hand on the hilt of her short blade. She kept her eyes on Motoko's sword arm. And everybody knew that if Motoko move her arm in anyway, Kanako would hack it.

Everybody tensed.

Then Keitaro smiled, "I am sorry to do this Motoko-chan… but… I cannot stay here… the head of the clans would either kill me or let me live… either way for me… it's all the same. As long as I exist… Japan would never stop worrying. And I know even if I die… they would guard me and make sure that my remains would never experience peace,"

"But Keitaro… the clans have already agreed to let you live by letting you marry princess Naru…" Motoko cried.

"I know… I heard," Keitaro then turned his gaze towards Naru, "But the question is… does she truly want to marry me?"

All eyes turned to Naru.

Naru blushed and looked away. She muttered, "I… I would… and I know that I should but-,"

"You don't have to," Keitaro calmly said.

"Huh!" Naru gazed back at Keitaro surprised.

"I would not force myself to you. I don't think I could live myself that I married someone who does not want me. Please believe me princess Naru, all I ever wanted for you is to be happy… the same as everyone else…" Keitaro bowed, "And it has been a privilege to serve you my princess,"

Naru was speechless. She stood there staring at Keitaro unable to speak.

"Well… I guess this is the end, right?" Mitsune stepped close to Keitaro and embraced him.

Everyone gasped.

Mitsune grinned, "I know my behavior is very unconventional, doing this to a man in front of everybody…" a blush, "but we have been through a lot together… and I feel that you have been a part of me… and I know… I would sorely miss you… Kei-kun,"

"Thank you Mitsune…" Keitaro bowed.

Kaolla stepped forward and did the same only her embrace was a tad tighter than Mitsune's, "I would miss you Keitaro… it felt like I've known you for so long… I would never forget the first time I saw you…"

Keitaro smiled and patted Kaolla, "And the bread that you gave me saved me from dying in hunger…"

Then Keitaro turned to embrace Shinobu who was standing close to him. And the moment he wrapped his arms around her, she cried. He whispered, "You will be the most notable doctor in all Japan Shinobu… I know you will be…"

"Sempai…" Shinobu whispered through her tears.

Then Keitaro faced Mutsumi, "I thank you for everything you've done Mutsumi… and I apologize that in this life time… we can not marry…"

Mutsumi smiled back, "I understand Keitaro… do not worry… I will always be here… my proposal is always open for you… just for you,"

And finally Keitaro faced Motoko.

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then Motoko stepped forward and said, "But Keitaro… the curse… what about the curse?"

"Not all reincarnations are meant for evil Motoko… I just want to live this life time the way I wanted to and not because of the past… I can wait… fortune comes to those who wait…" then Keitaro bowed.

Keitaro faced Kanako and then he nodded to Moe.

The trio started to walk towards the darkness and deeper into the forest.

And for a long while, the women who were left behind just stood there staring at the fading figures.

Then they disappeared from sight.

Mutsumi stepped next to Motoko and whispered, "Aren't you going to follow him?"

Motoko frowned, confused, "What do you mean Mutsumi?"

"He refused my proposal for marriage and Naru's too… do you know what it means?"

"Huh?"

"Don't you understand? He told you, didn't he? That he would wait…"

"I… I don't understand… I…"

Then Motoko finally understood.

In a dash, Motoko ran towards the forest and into the darkness.

-

"So we're letting him walk away?" Amalla whispered.

Tsuruko nodded. There was a calm content look on her face and a slight smile when she saw her sister Motoko dash towards the deep forest. She sighed, "I guess my sister learned what she needed to learn. The journey that I sent her into proved to be very useful for her… a most effective training…"

"The power of the heart," Seta appeared next to Amalla.

Amalla bowed to Seta in greeting.

"I wish Haruka is here with us…" Tsuruko whispered.

"I do… and I guess she is… she will always be with us…" Seta replied.

"It has been decided then…" Amalla said, "Japan has been fortunate this time… the first reincarnation is much more humane than we expected…"

"Yes… Japan has been fortunate this time… I wonder if we would be fortunate the next…" Tsuruko agreed.

Seta turned towards the figures on the garden. Then he said, "Well… our future depends on them…"

Amalla and Tsuruko nodded.

Then Seta turned to the women and smiled, "It's been a great journey… I guess I'll see you both again in seven hundred years…"

"We'll see you again in seven hundred years Seta-kun…" Amalla and Tsuruko bowed.

-

The first person Motoko met deeper into the forest was Kanako.

Kanako came rushing towards her slashing her blade forward.

But Motoko was able to parry easily even in the black darkness of the forest.

Kanako quickly withdrew.

For a moment nobody spoke.

Then Kanako whispered menacingly, "You should feel privileged…"

Motoko did not reply but kept her sword ready to block any attack.

Then Kanako sighed, "Make sure you make him happy. Because… if you break his heart… I'm telling you now that I would hunt you and kill you like an animal…"

A rustle was heard.

And Kanako disappeared.

Motoko never saw her again.

-

Motoko found Keitaro sitting close to a stream. She could see that he was alone.

There was a peaceful look on Keitaro's face as if he has been waiting for her.

Motoko stepped forward, "I'm not sure if I deserve you… I know I don't act womanly or to a preferred womanly behavior… and I know I still have a lot to learn and I-,"

"I love you Motoko…"

Motoko froze.

"And I would wait… please do not worry… you have a bright future as a samurai… walk your destiny and fulfill your dreams. And once you have fulfilled them… and you long for peace… I will be here waiting for you…" Keitaro stood and turned.

"Keitaro wait…"

Keitaro turned to face Motoko.

"I… I promise… I will come back for you…"

Keitaro smiled, "I know you will…"

And Keitaro disappeared in the darkness.

* * *

**Epilogue**

**I**

The battle at the open field of the Aoyoma village was written down on the scrolls of the Imperial and Shogunate history. Those who survived the horrendous ordeal were given lasting honors and recognition on both sides. But the battle has strained the imperial power. Almost a third of its growing army has been killed leaving the imperial family defenseless against the tyranny of the Shogunate. The Regents however became lenient knowing that the political unrest would never be extinguished unless properly taken care of. And so after the battle, the Shogunate offered alliance to the emperor making sure to uphold its honor and keep the nation united against an enemy from beyond the seas.

The few generals of the original imperial army remained under the emperor's service. The Aoyomas, Konnos and Norieyasus kept their imperial emblems and kept their tradition favoring the imperial rule.

The mysteries of the Urashima Curse disappeared along with Keitaro's disappearance. The emperor did not approve the request to search for Keitaro's whereabouts and the decision was fully accepted by the Aoyoma and the Norieyasu clans. The Su clan – returned to the kingdom of Molmol taking with them the Urashima Blade. The fabled blade was encased on a heavy wooden box decorated with pure gold and diamonds. The Molmol kingdom erected a special temple for the blade which was guarded day and night.

The Women

Naru Narusegawa became the first woman to ever gain political power in the high circle of feudal Japanese government. Under her power was the control between the Shogunate and imperial armies. She was the first to approve the treaty that accepted foreigners from the east to trade with Japan. She never married.

Mitsune Konno was the first to head a separate society for women of different stature providing protection against discrimination and slavery. She was supported by the might of the Konno army. She was married to a famous samurai general.

Shinobu Maehara started the very first medical school aimed for both men and women of different social standings from peasants to the high born. She was the first to accept modern medical advances provided by the Christian priests from the east that arrived on the shores of Japan. She was the first to marry a gaijin.

Mutsumi Otohime became the priestess of the northern temple keeping its traditions and beliefs. She completed the first book written by a woman – 'Legends of Japan' and has become a national treasure. She never married.

Kaolla Su became the chief general of Molmol kingdom army putting into practice the tactical skills she has learned from Japanese wars. She also became the savior and legal guardian of the only Urashima heir (see below for the story). She never married.

Motoko Aoyoma took the place of her sister Tsuruko Aoyoma as the head of the Aoyoma clan and daimyo of the Aoyoma village. And under Motoko's rule she successfully protected the village from the second invasion attempt of the Mongolian empire. Motoko expanded her rule and her land. She was the first to trade with the foreigners from the east turning the Aoyoma village into the most prosperous village in whole of Japan. She disappeared (see below for the story).

Mysteries of the Urashima Curse

When Keitaro Urashima disappeared the peculiar events that happened during the first Mongolian invasion faded into the memories of the people of Japan. It was dismissed as a myth as there was only a handful that could retell what really happened at the open fields of the Aoyoma village. Another Mongolian invasion was attempted years later and this time Motoko Aoyoma led the defense of the village. It was said that a lone horseman rushed towards the beach where the Mongolian ships anchored and single-handedly decimated the first wave of rushing Mongolian army giving Motoko and her battalion of Aoyoma samurai time to prepare themselves.

Although the lone horseman was never seen after Motoko and the Aoyoma samurais drove the enemy soldiers back to their ships, it was rumored that the lone horseman was none other than Keitaro Urashima himself.

When the gaijins from the east arrived, Motoko opened the Aoyoma port for trade. It prospered the village and was used as the meeting place for both the Japanese government representatives and gaijin leaders. And at the height of the Aoyoma village's fame, Motoko abdicated as daimyo and passed the honor to Ryoma. Motoko was last seen by the villagers riding towards the high mountains of the north.

Motoko Aoyoma was never seen again.

Haruka Urashima fled to china after the defeat of the first Mongolian invasion. She married a Chinese royalty and born him a son. During the revolution, the Chinese dynasty was massacred along with the ruling imperial family. It was said that a strange woman visited Haruka's residence in the middle of chaos and carnage. Haruka was killed in the battle. But her son survived.

Her son was saved by the strange woman called Kaolla Su. Kaolla Su brought Haruka's son back to the kingdom of Molmol and raised him as her own heir, her own prince.

During the Bakumatsu revolution a group of Molmol warriors sailed towards the war torn land of Japan to provide assistance to the imperialists as ordered by the Su clan who was still loyal to the Japanese imperial family.

And one of these warriors was Tenken Urashima, heir to the one and only surviving Urashima saved by Kaolla Su four generations ago.

A living Urashima has returned to Japan.

When the Second World War erupted in South-East Asia, the Molmol kingdom was invaded by the Japanese army. Most of the artifacts and family prized treasures were looted. And one of these artifacts was the Urashima blade. There were numerous reports of strange phenomenon that surrounded several battalions postedaround the Molmol temples; unexplained brutal killings leaving no witnesses and no survivors. And in the middle of this bloodbath was one common weapon - a samurai sword. The sword was feared by all Japanese soldiers, branding it cursed.The sword then was given to archaeology experts and treasure hunters. These experts and hunters all died by unexplainable circumstances. And even though whoever handled the sword met horrible misfortunes, passed from one hand to another, the sword finally reached Japan and was locked on a museum for the next twenty years.

Then one night the museum was robbed. The only missing artifact was the sword. The robber however was discovered the next day lying dead on the streets. It was said that the sword was last seen being picked up by an unknowing bystander.

The Urashima blade has returned to its master.

* * *

**Epilogue**

**II**

"Mother…"

Hina turned and found her daughter climbing at the steep stone steps of the hill. She smiled at her with her quiet closed eyes. She sighed, "What do you think Haruka-chan?"

Haruka raised her right hand over her eyes and looked up at the majestic building before her. She nodded, "It looks quite good to me… what's the name of this place again mom?"

Hina faced the building again and replied, "Hinata… they call this quiet village Hinata… and this would be the Hinata lodge…"

"I see…"

Hina lowered her head and asked, "Did you know that there's a legend behind this building?"

"A legend?"

"Yes… it was said that seven hundred years ago a ghostly couple built this structure with the aid of a moving doll…"

Haruka shivered, "That sounds too creepy mom… and now that you mentioned it maybe I don't like this building at all,"

Hina chuckled, "This hill was originally called the northern mountains during the feudal era… and was changed to Hinata after the Second World War…"

"Hmmm… is that the reason why you chose to buy this building instead of a property in Tokyo?"

"Well… let's just say I believe in so many things…"

"You know your history mom... and you love it," Haruka glowed, "We have to go back! Sister has finally decided a name for her first baby…"

"Really…" Hina mused.

"Yep… I think she'd call the baby… Keitaro or something… but I think it's definitely Keitaro…"

"I see… I see…"

Haruka began walking down the stone steps careful not to slide down as there were still mosses around the edges of the stones. There was a tranquil atmosphere in the surrounding with the trees around her swaying with the wind.

Hina was left standing alone at the front of the building soon to be called Hinata Lodge staring at the blue sky.

Hina smiled and whispered, "We have all returned…"

_And the rest is history._

* * *

**Author Final Words**

I have finally completed this fanfic! Hoooray! And I thought I wouldn't be able to because of so much pressure that I've been going through. I have input as much information as I could. I shied away from it during the story and in the end I input as much historical relevance as I could. Hopefully you'd all forgive me for deliberately changing it for my fiction. I haven't had any decent sleep for quite awhile now. This part of the story is the most enjoyable part for me compared to other chapters. For some reason there is joy on telling what future the characters might have had… and the power to write is so irresistible.

I just hope you all enjoyed this as much as I have!

**Dedications**

I dedicate this story to all fanfic writers and readers but especially to my reviewers. I was so inspired by some of my reviewers and their opinions basically made the foundation of this story. I just hope I surprised all of you. I would like to mention some of them but there are so many… you know who you are and I am very very very grateful with the support you have given me. The story is nothing without you.

I am planning on writing a Mutsumi, Naru and Kanako story soon. Probably a one shot. This fanfic is my first and maybe the last attempt to historical/ fantasy type of fiction. This fiction just drained me. But I would write soon.

See ya all on my next fanfic! Cheers!

nivremous


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